Fly Away
by Dragonrider7
Summary: The turtles are running from someone or something and wound up in miami. What could be chasing them that not even Raph wants to fight? Read and find out! Chapter 9 is up! Reviews! My kingdom for reviews!
1. Dreams and wishes

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or the books Maximum Ride but the dream in the beginning is mine.

Fly away Chapter 1: Dreams and wishes

All my training. All my instincts. Both summed up into one word. Run! Run and run fast! I tear through the stony streets. Barefooted and no shirt.

"Gotta keep going!" I told myself

"Don't let them catch you! You can do it! Catch up or they'll leave!"

The wind's blowing in my face, my legs feel like jelly, my lungs are going to collapse, and rocks are embedding themselves in my bare feet.

The wind picks up and I unfurl my wings. Just like I've always dreamed of doing. I get a few feet off the ground and plummet back landing hard in a field. I've never flown before but now I have to. I try one last time hearing the sounds of yelling and tires screeching. I get up farther than I ever have before. Stretching my wings out to their full eighteen feet. I begin flapping as hard as I can. "Wow." I think. "So this is what it's like." My thoughts are interrupted when the sound of gunfire rings through the air. I swerve down and then go left. I feel a sharp burning pain in by back and my right wing suddenly collapses and I spiral back towards the ground. I land face down and roll over as fast as I can. I look up to see a huge black foot coming down on my head.

I jolt upwards and quickly scan the room around me. "It's okay," I thought to myself. "Calm down. It was just a Dream." I sit there for a while trying to get my breathing and heart rate back to normal. I look around the room and see that I'm on the bed. We only have one bed and we usually all just dog pile on it. "Okay, warm bed, brothers, mask, bow staff, and no cages." I thought as another wave of relief washed over me. I look around the beaten up warehouse that serves as our home and see all my brothers. Each with their own unique style of sleeping.

Over in the corner is my oldest brother Leonardo. He sleeps the same way he acts. Calm, collected, and organized. He fell asleep in one of the few chairs we have. He's sitting up no snoring, no drooling, and his beloved katanas are leaning neatly against the wall on his right side. His mask isn't even wrinkled. Down on the floor is my little brother Mikey or Michelangelo with my other big brother Raph lying on top of him in an awkward lop-sided flop on top of him. Mikey's nunchucks and mask are piled in a heap next to him and he's drooling quite a bit. Raphael is lying on top of him with his twelve-foot long silky black wings wrapped around him and Mikey like a blanket.

"Man." I say aloud. "You might not like to admit it Raphi-boy but you love Mikey so much."

"Oh yeah he does." Said a tired sounding voice. I turn around to see Leo, eyes open, and looking at Mikey and Raph lovingly.

"Oh man." He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I really wish I had a camera, because that's really cute." He said a big grin forming on his face.

"Yeah. You don't see Raph, A.K.A. Mr. tough guy, doing stuff like this very often now do you? Sooo, what's for breakfast?" Unless the food faries came, not much, Sorry Donny."

"Hey it's not your fault you know."

"Yeah well I feel like it is."

"HEY!" I replied hotly. "I'm the one who was stupid enough to lead them to us in the first place. So if it's anyone's fault it's mine! So stop blaming yourself!" I shouted glaring daggers at him.

"Alright fine. Suit yourself. Let's just drop it. I hate talking about that anyway."

"Oh jeeze! Raph get your fat butt offa me!" Came the cry from the sleeping room.

"Uh oh." Me and Leo said in unison.

"And so begins the war." Leo said in a dark evil voice.

The shout was soon followed by many others along with other battle related sounds. I stretch out my eighteen foot wings and let out a long sigh. I take a quick glace at them thinking about the colors. They are a beautiful tannish color with black spots and speckles all over them. If I tried I bet I could get off the ground. Then suddenly an idea sprang out at me and I ran off into a different room. I run back out clamping my wings back into my shell for protection and a pillow in hand.

"I'm gonna go make breakfast." Leo said and hurried off to do just that. I snuck a peek into the room and saw Raph and Mikey duking it out on the floor. i ran in and whacked Mikey upside the head while yelling "Pillow fight!!"

The battle raged on until the chef, A.K.A Leonardo, Came in announcing that breakfast was ready. We were all up and out of there in a flash. as soon as Leo took his seat we all started attacking the omelets and orange juice Leo had made. Which for our new metabolism is not very much.

"Yo Donny what's da date?" Raph asked in his thick Brooklyn accent.

"Ummm. December the 21st." I said looking at a calander in an apartment across the street. We all sat silent after my answer. Not moving, not eating. Just silent.Soon a heavy sigh broke through the silence and Leo got up to clear his plate even though he had barely eaten anything.

"hey bro?" Raph asked concerned.

"Think about it guys."Leo said turning towards us. "This is going to be our first christmas without master splinter." He said gloomily His sadness spread like a plague and soon it had infected all of us. 

"Hey it's okay Leo." Mike said standing up. "The best gift we can hope to give him is to not be there. To not endanger him. To make the danger follow us instead. That's why we're here right? Besides Miami isn't all that bad. It's nice and warm."I knew Mikey meant well but I just couldn't take it.

"I wish we didn't have to run." I said. Hot tears stinging my eyes. "I wish we coulkd just go home."

"I know Donny. We alldo. Raph said as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't ya worry. We'll get through this and when we do the first thing we'll do is go straight home ta master splinter."


	2. Haunting memories

**Hey peoples hope ya enjoyed the first chapter. I know it was short so spare me! This chapter should explain what's going on. R&R please. Oh I know I went against the flow by having Leo be the great cooker but hey that's my style. Oh and the flashbacks are in italics just so you know.**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or the books maximum ride.

Chapter 2: Haunting memories

Leo's POV

It's really weird. Sometimes I can't remember what the hell I just got up to do but I can remember every close call. Every instant where my damn stupidity could have cost me the lives of my family.Every one of those memories haunts me. Because I realize if they had died it would have been my fault. They would have died because of my carelessness.

Donny tells me not blame myself. That it's his fault not mine, but how could that be? I was the one who let us all go out on a night like that. I ignored the terrible feeling I had in my gut. I let my guard down. I failed everyone. Especially my brothers. I remember that night very very clearly.

Don had been gone for six months and he finally came back. He never told us where he was just that he was back. Since he got back everyone was so happy. We all had missed him so much. One night Mikey wanted to go out and play a game of ninja tag. With everyone this time.

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_"Cmon. It'll be lotsa fun. I mean we haven't done that since Don disappeared and I need to have some fun. We all do!!" _

_There he was standing over me with that big old goofy grin he always wears when he's trying to convince me to do something. I take a quick glance around the room and look for splinter's okay. I finally find him, stitching up a practice dummy that Raph had shredded that morning, and he smiles warmly and nods._

_"Alright Mikey. Go get Don and Raph." I said._

_"Yippie!!" He squealed and ran off to get them._

_I Went up to my room to put the book I was reading away. Guess Romeo and Juliet will have to wait another day. I began walking out of the room but stopped and glanced back at the book lying on my nightstand. Seemingly begging me not to leave it behind._

_"Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to take it." I said and snatched the book off my nightstand and went back out to the living room._

_"Well if everyone's suited up we can head out." I said. "NO!!" Something inside me screamed. "Don't go! Don't do it! They'll be other day's! Not tonight!!" It kept screaming at me not to go but I simply brushed it away. What could possibly happen. Nothing was going to ruin tonight. I turned towards master splinter and bowed. _

_"Have a good time my sons." He said in that gentle loving tone that I had heard for many years._

_"We will!" We all said and ran out the door. Unknowingly running towards the biggest nightmare you can imagine. I was so happy. Donny was back and everything would go back to normal. Well as normal as normal can get for a bunch of six foot tall turtles. We ran through the sewers, laughing and smiling. Two things we hadn't done since Don left and it felt great. We went up the first manhole we saw and then up the fire escape until we got to the rooftops._

_It was rather odd. The moon shone an eerie yellowish glow. The clouds told us that a downpour was coming soon but I didn't care. Tonight we were going to have fun. I was the last one on the roof and by the time I got there everyone else was gone._

_"Well I guess I'm it." I said and took off. The rain started soon after I took off. I rounded a corner and there were all three of my brothers standing there arguing._

_"Umm. Guys? this is supposed to be a ninja _version _of hide and go seek. I said as I approached them. I looked at them and they all seemed different than when we left. When we left everyone was happy. Even Raph but he sure wasn't happy now. Now he looked pissed off. Donny looked the same way and Mikey...Mikey looked scared and confused._

_"Guys, what's going on?" _

_"Oh absolutely nothing. Me an brain-boy were just having a friendly little discussion bout his arms."Raph said._

_"My arms are absolutely fine thank you very much. Now how about we get on with the damn game!?"_

_"Bullshit! Does this look fucking fine to you?!" He said holding up Donny's arm. _

_"Raph for the love of God stop. His arm looks fi" I stopped in mid sentence. There was something on his arm. I leaned in for a closer look and saw needle marks all along his inner elbow and going along his upper arm too. I look back at Mikey and notice he's crying. Raph was crying too._

_"Donny." I said in a shocked tone that I just couldn't hide. "What happened?"_

_"That's none of your damn business now is it?"_

_"Of course it's our Damn business! Donny your our fucking brother. Now you tell me who the hell did this to you or I will kick your ass until you do." Raph said still holding on to Donny. Mikey began crying harder and I held him in a reassuring embrace._

_"No Raph your not. We are going back home and Donny is going to tell all of us exactly what happened while he was away." I said staring directly at Donny. A look of fear suddenly appeared on his face and he started fighting Raph trying desperately to get free but to no avail._

_"I can't do that Leo!!" He shouted still struggling as Raph dragged him back towards the fire escape._

_"And why the hell not?" I said still trying to comfort Mikey._

_"Don't you think there's a good reason I didn't tell you what happend while I was gone?"_

_"What pray tell would that good reason be then?"_

_"I can't tell you that Leo."_

_"And why not?"_

_"Because."_

_"Because isn't an answer Donny."_

_"I just can't alright!"_

_"No Don it's not that you can't it's that you won't."_

_"I can't tell you because if I tell you then you'll become a part of it!!" He said so suddenly and so quickly that we were barely able to understand him.Just then I noticed that Mikey wasn't holding on to me anymore and looked down to where Mikey was and saw him with klunk. He had decided to bring klunk along. There he was sitting on the floor hugging the life out of klunk and klunk didn't seem to mind one bit._

_"What? "I asked. Everyone else too dumbstruck to say anything._

_"I can't tell you because if I tell you then you'll become a part of it." He said again. Repeating it at normal speed this time so we could understand him._

_"Of what? Become a part of what Donny?!"_

_"The experiment." He said. Nearly bursting into tears._

_Suddenly this canister dropped from overhead releasing a plume of smoke or gas or whatever. It was some kind of drug I know that. Almost as soon as it hit other things, creatures, mutants jumped down and attacked. I couldn't see anything and I could hear Donny screaming in pure terror. I heard Raph swearing a blue streak, but I couldn't hear Mikey or klunk. One by one my brother's voices suddenly stopped and I heard the sounds of a helicopter. Suddenly someone leaped on me and pinned me to the ground. He didn't look human. He had paw-like appendages instead of hands and feet, I saw what looked like a snout filled with yellow razor sharp teeth, and ears that stuck up off the top of his head kinda like a wolf. The last thing I saw was his huge paw coming down on my face and then darkness overcame me._

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That was absolutely the worst night of my life. The night I failed everyone. The night we all were taken to that hellhole. That torture chamber where many many times we begged for death. I was the last to wake up to that nightmare and when I did the sounds and smells that greeted me were horrendous. I could hear klunk mewling pitifully, Mikey crying and telling klunk that everything would be okay, Raph was once again swearing so much that the air in the room had turned blue, but I couldn't hear Donny. The air reeked of chemicals and disinfectants. A smell that we all hated so much.

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"_Mew! Mewl."_

_"Don't worry Klunk I'll get you out of here as soon as possible. Don't be scared I'm here."_

_"Damn good for nothing bitches! I'll kill every one of those shit-heads!"_

_"Ohh. Man my head." I groaned pitifully. As soon as I said that everyone in the room stopped talking. Klunk had even stopped mewling._

_"Leo? Ya okay bro?" I heard Raph ask. His anger completely replaced by worry._

_"Yeah I think so. I opened my eyes and looked at the room I was in. i was in a what looked like a dog crate. My brother Mikey was next to me in the same type of crate and one cage down was Raph. There was an empty cage between Mikey and Raph and it looked occupied._

_"Where's Don?" I asked_

_"They took him." Mikey whispered._

_"Took him where?"_

_"I dunno, but I think he's been here before Leo. He's really scared.You should have seen the struggle he put up when they tried to take him. But they got him in the end."_

_"How long ago was that?"_

_"A few hours give or take."_

_Then the door to the little room we were in opened and in walked two men. Both wearing white lab coats and dragging an unconscious Don behind them. He looked horrible. His face was wet with tears and his face was twisted in way that we knew that he had endured alot of pain in the last few hours. The dumped him in his cage and I saw feathers rustle around. Oh my Goodness. Donny had wings. That's what they did here. Genetic experimentation. He had burns an his legs and he looked absolutely sick. _

_The two scientists then turned, got out what looked like a hospital bed with leather straps on it, and turned toward Raph's cage. As soon as he opened it Raph jumped out and attacked him. Beating them both bloody. He brought his fist down on one's stomach and blood sprayed from his mouth and onto Raph's face. The other called for more people and right after he did Raph jumped on him and spun around catching the side of his head in a round house kick breaking his nose and sending him crashing to the floor._

_Raph found a small but very sharp knife and turned, just as the scientist got up, and caught him right in the stomach spilling blood and the man's intestines all over the floor. He dropped like a rock. The other one was getting up and I could hear the sounds of feet hitting the floor. More people were coming. Raph executed an invisible flying dragon flip with perfect precision landing right on the man's chest. He then thrust the small knife deep into the man's left eye. He twitched and then lay still._

_The man's "possy" arrived a little too late for the peole they were suposed to help, but they managed to get Raph down on the table long enough to tie him down. They then procceded to take him out of the room to who knows where._

_One of the whitecoats who stayed behind went over to Klunks cage, grabbed him, and left the room. Mikey's eyes widened in fear and he broke down crying. The whitecoats around the room began wrapping up the bodies Raph had so generously provided them with and anything that spilled out too. One of them grabbed the small knife that was still embedded in the young man's eye and pulled it out. Eye still stuck to it._

_I couldn't handle it any more and I looked away. I looked out the window and up into the sky. Wondering if Splinter was okay. Wondering if he had found out what had happened to us. Hoping, praying that he was okay._

_"No. Not Klunk, not Raph. God Leo I'm so scared."_

_"And you should be." Came Don's hoarse voice._

_I turned from my prayer and saw him sitting up in his cage. With long tannish, black speckled, unkempt wings wrapped around him._

_"Bros." He said. "Welcome to my nightmare."_

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We were trapped there for two months before we finally figured out a way to get out. We all had to endure endless experiments there. They grafted our DNA with avian. They did more to us than just that but that's where Don got those wings and that was where he'd been for the few months that he was gone.

The rest of us are growing wings as well. Raph's are the developed the farthest. His are twelve feet long and black. Mikey's are six feet long and pure white. Mine are also six feet but they are white with black and tan spots on them.

We got thanks to help of one of the whitecoats who worked there. She was new and was horrified at the things that they did. So, she helped us get out. She told us to run. To get as far away from here as possible and she even gave us a car to help out. o on the road we knew Don explained that no matter where he went they could always find him so we couldn't go home. Mikey spent most of his time cuddling Klunk. I had lost my book when we got taken so I didn't really have much to do.

W didn't have a plan so we just drove. Went wherever the road took us and we found our way to Miami Florida and here we've stayed. Every now and then I catch Donny staring at the sky. I know exactly what he's dreaming of. We've all tried to convince him to at least try and fly but he always says he's got something else to do. One of these days I'm just going to throw him off a roof and yell "flap!'" and perhaps that'll work.

Donny also explained what htose things I saw were. They're called Erasers. Half wolf, half human, all predator. their main goal in life is to rip our throats out and lick up our blood. The lab created them as gaurds. You see like most dogs they are extremly loyal. they are extremely dangerouse and not just because five out of six ends are pointy it's because they have something we don't. They can change to human or eraser whenever they want.

One of my most horrid memories was when I was looking out onto the field where they trained the erasers amd saw them releasing chimpanzees out into a small maze as training for some of the new erasers. The chimpanzee's screams of fear and pain still echo in my mind.

I'm so scared right now. I feel so horrible for letting that happen to my family. I don't kow what to do right now but they haven't found us yet. So, I guess we stay here. Food's running short and we'll have to go out again soon and something's wrong with Klunk too. Man I'm so tired. I can't wait to hit the sack. I'm just gonna sleep in the chair again. I hope I don't dream. Because when I do dream every thing comes rushing back to me. Fearless, hah. I'm not fearless. So, why do they call me that. Fearless. It's an odd word and I slip into darkness pondering it.

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**Well there you have it. How they got where they are. Scary isn't it. Hope ya enjoyed R&R please. Next chapters gonna be good. If you have any suggestions to the story go ahead and say something OK?**


	3. Tears of a father

**Hey howdy hey wassup!? Glad thatcha stuck with me. Did you all enjoy the last chappie? I hope ya like this one too.**

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Fly away Chapter 3: Tears of a father

Splinter's POV

**Two months ago: The night the turtles got captured.**

I sit back and listen to them as their footsteps and laughter slowly fade down the sewer tunnels. Ahhh. My son has returned and everything is returning to the way it was before he left. I'm glad that they are going out. They all needed the fresh air and rexlation. I glance down at the practice dummy I'm currently repairing. I missed Donatello so much while he was away. I suddenly realize that I have not spent time with all my sons just simply for fun and play in a long time. I think that I should go join them but would they want that? They are teenagers now. They don't seem to want to "hang out" with me so much anymore.

I make my decsion and set the practice dummy and sewing equipment down. It will have to wait. As I leave I notice that the door to Leonardo's room is open. I walk up and shut it. As I shut his door I notice that his book, Romeo and Juliet, is not on his nightstand. His usual resting place for all the books he reads. He must have decided to take it with him.

I exit the house after making sure the security systems are online and all the lights are out. I silently plod through the sewers thinking about how happy all my sons looked when they left.

Suddenly I get this odd feeling. Like my sons are in some kind of trouble. It's probably nothing too severe. I stop and realize that I missed the first manhole cover. Well the next one's just up ahead no use going all the way back.

I climb up the ladder and up onto the street. I can hear the engine of a helocopter so I am careful and stick to the shadows as much as I can. I climb atop a building and see that the heocopter is on top of a nearby roof. As I look closer I see that there are people on the rooftop. It looked as if there was a fight and as I got nearer I could see that they were loading people onto the chopper. I couldn't see who it was but whoever they were loading was tied down onto a bed. I ran in hoping that I could help them but was too late and the chopper took off.

The wind from it almost knocked me down and I saw pages of a book spiral upward following the flow of wind. I bent down and picked one up. It was worn and ripped. It had odd stains on it much like the kind you would get from sewer water.

I stopped. Sewer water? Oh no! I quickly began reading the page.

_"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? Tis the east and Juliet is the sun."_ It read. I skipped down a bit and read even further. _"What's in a name? That which we call a_ _rose by any other name would smell just as sweet."_

I followed the stream of pages to their source and found the rest of the book. There it was lying on the ground wrinkled and stained a light green. upon closer examination of the book I noticed that it was also stained red in places. Deep, dark splotches that ate away at my spirit like cancer.

I picked it up and tears made their way through a dam that had been closed for years and they now flowed freely through my already soaked fur.

It smelt heavily of my eldest. Of Leonardo. It also smelt of worry and fear. That's who the chopper was carrying right now. My sons. I fell to the ground sobbing uncontrollably. Their first night of happiness in months only to have their hope and freedom ripped away from them. I quickly stood back up. Book in hand.

"There is no time for this." I said to the darkness. "My sons need me."

I took off running. Knowing exactly where to go. April Oneil's. Her and Casey were going to watch movies at her place tonight. I hated to ruin a night like this for them but, I had no choice. I ran full speed completely oblivious to the rain that had now soaked me and not caring whether I was seen or not. I reached her house and lept down onto the fire escape without stopping to time the jump right.

Yes they did indeed keept their date for I could hear the telivision even through the rain and it was rather obvious that they were watching a horror because I could also hear April's screams. I moved to a window that was closer to the couch that they were on and tapped on the window.

The response was immediate. April screamed and jumped off the couch and Casey started laughing hysterically. She then brought her gaze over to where I stood and a look of worry crossed her face.

She knew. She knew that something was dreadfully wrong and her worry replaced her embarrassment and she ran over towards me and opened the window.

once I got inside Casey handed me a towel and April led me to the couch, the movie abandoned. She looked at me and asked the question that I had been dreading the entire trip up here.

"Master splinter?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

"My sons." I whispered. Trying desperately to hold back tears. "Someone has taken my sons."

"WHAT!!" Casey shouted. "How? When?"

"I do not know." I said

"Wait. Hold on a second." April said. "How do you know it was them who got taken and not just someone else?"

"Because I know it in my heart and... because of this." I held up Leonardo's book. The one I had found on that rooftop only moments ago.

"Don't cha worry mastah splintah. Were here. We'll help ya find your sons." Casey assured me. "Besides, Raph's my best bud and I ain't gonna let him go without a fight."

And so, our search began.

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**Two months later.**

**Still no sign of splinter's sons.**

I promised myself that I would never resort to drinking such a vile substance to stay awake but sleep has taken it's toll on my searches and I felt an ever growing need to stay awake. I am now on my third cup of coffee.

"Splinter?" I had heard that voice quite often in the past two months.

"Splinter you really need to get some sleep." April said as she gently gripped my shoulder. "Overworking yourself is not going to help your sons any."

I silently nodded and allowed her to guide me to her guest room. Ever since the night that my sons disappeared I had been so worried and exhausted that I kept overworking myself. She finally got fed up with it one night when I had collapsed out of exhaustion and did not answer the phone when she called me. Well, she came over and found me passed out on the floor and when I came to she announced that I would be staying at her place until we found my sons and here I have stayed. As odd as it sounds she not just a mother to my sons but to me as well.

She rolled the sheets back and I sat down on the bed removing my robe. Under normal circumstances. I would never have allowed her to see me without my clothing but I had not had any sleep in a week and it was finally affecting me. I collapsed onto the sheets tucking my legs underneath the blanket as she covered me and the last thing I heard that night was her soft voice whisper "Goodnight Master Splinter."

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I awoke the next morning to shouting and what sounded like a very ticked off Casey. I looked at the clock. "Holy crud!" I thought. 1:30PM!? you have got to be kidding me. I looked at the switch for the alarm and sure enough it was set to the off position. She did it again.

"Will you be quiet." I heard April whisper harshly. "Splinter's still asleep and I don't want you waking him up. He's exhausted enough as it is."

"Well. Casey's in trouble."

I shuffled out from under the warmth of the covers and almost litterally threw my robe on. I walked out the door into the living room as I tied the sash. I was greeted with a rather odd sight. Casey had launched a chair through the window, April was firmly reprimanding him for that, and the Silver Centry was getting what was left of the chair off the fire escape.

Almost as soon as I entered the whole room went silent and Aplril shot Casey a look of "I am going to kill you." and that is exactly what she said.

"I am going to kill you. Arnold Casey Jones, do you understand the meaning of the word _kill_."

It was actually rather amusing. After she said that his face turned a bright red and he suddenly found the floor very interesting. I chuckled slightly to myself at the scene that lay before me.

"It is alright Miss Oneil. I was getting up anyway. Now my true question is what has happened?"

"I spotted one of your sons."

I quickly turn around to find out who had said that and sure enough the voice belonged to none other than the Silver Centry. I stared at him unbelieving.

"My sons?"

"Yes Master Splinter. Perhaps you should sit down."

I nodded, made my way to an armchair and sat down.

"You only saw one?" I asked.

"Yes, but I believe the others are with him as well."

"Which one?"

"I believe it was Raphael."

"Raph? Ya found a Raph?" Casey's voice decided now would be a good time to jump in.

"Well? Is he okay?"

"I'm afraid he wasn't in the best condition."

"What do you mean by that?" I quickly asked.

"Now I know very well what Raph normally looks like and I can tell you that from the brief glimpse that I got of him he was extremely malnourished and he has...new scars."

"What was he doing?" April interjected. Respectfully silent up until now.

"He was foraging. Looking through dumpsters for food and from the looks of it he wasn't just foraging for himself."

Just the thought of my sons malnourished or hurt was agonizing, but they was free wasn't he? Whoever took him that night did not have them now.

"Master Splinter, with your permission I would like to get the justice league to explore this as quickly as possible."

"Yes, of course. As long as I go too."

"Me too!" Casey shouted.

"Me three." April interjected.

"Very well then. Get packed. We are taking a trip up to Miami Florida."

Hope filled my spirits once again at the fact that he had seen one of my sons alive and well. I hurried off to the back room to pack quickly and soon we were on our way.

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**Dun dun dun! Well there ya go! Splinter's point of view. So any guesses on what's gonna happen? To be truly honest I have no idea where this is leading, and yes I know I'm writing it and I should know. R&R!!**


	4. Wolves and wings

**Hi! I'm soooo happy with how these chapters are turning out. I hope you are to. It took me forever to figure out how to start this one but I hope it's good! R&R.**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or the books Maximum Ride, but I do own the dog.

Fly away Chapter 4: Wolves and wings

Raph's POV

"Great." I say to myself. "Here we go again."

Suddenly an anguished cry rings through the warehouse . I stop preening my feathers and look up to see my little bro Mikey tear into the room. He ran in so fast that when he tried to stop he wound up slipping on the floor and plowing right into Donny. They both landed in a tangled mass of feathers and shell on the opposite wall.

"What is it now Mikey?" Came the voice of the fearless one. He was meditating, but Mikey's abrupt entrance snapped him out of it.

"Were out of food._ Again_!" Mikey exclaimed as he and Donatello untangled themselves.

"I'll go ahead and go out." I huffed. Clamping my wings back in my shell and getting up.

"Alright, but be careful and be sure to get plenty of food. We need all we can get." Mr. Brainiac stated as he began looking over his wings.

"And while he's out Don, me, and Mikey can all take a trip up to the roof."

"Yeah!"

"I've got better things to do."

I had heard this conversation before and I knew how it ended so, I didn't need to stick around. I quickly grabbed a coat, pants, a backpack, opened my wings, glided down the stairs, and was soon out the door and on the street.

The sky was beautiful today. The normal blue and white had been escorted off the dance floor and had been replaced by a waltzing violet and pink. The breeze swayed lazily along with the colors now in the sky, but I could tell that the now gentle breeze would stop it's simple sway and begin break dancing.

We had been through this same routine plenty of times. I was usually the one to go out and get food and personally I enjoy it. While I'm out Leo and Mikey'll drag Don out onto the roof to help him practice flying. More like they'll be practicing their throwing.

We all want to see Donny fly so much. I catch him staring at the sky dreaming of flying _alot_. It's not that he's scared or anything like that no, it's that he feels that he has more important things to do than pursue his own dreams. Of course we're like, "Don you do too much get out there and try." and he's all like, "No. I need to work on this new security system." So eventually it got to where we were like, "Screw it! Your gonna learn to fly and that's that!" and that was that. Now every time we run out of food or whenever we get the chance we take Don out on the roof and throw him around till he catches a good breeze.

I break into a jog and begin moving towards the nearest resturant. Which just so happens to be McDonalds. There's usually so much edible food in their dumpster that thats as far as I have to go and there was alot of food in there, enough food to last us until morning, but I decided to try and grab more.

From McDonald's I was able to grab fifteen burgers, two slightly eaten boxes of nuggets, some chicken selects, and seven spicy chicken sand winches.

"The longer I take the more practice Don gets in." I thought and moved on to another dumpster.

I got quite a few things on my forage trip. Such as some KFC fried chicken, eggs (the woman left her cart right out in the open), a few blocks of cheese, some pizza (Mikey's gonna go nuts), couple of fresh veggies (the cart once again), and get this...a turkey. An almost whole turkey! It was awesome! For some strange reason I got the feeling that someone was watching me and did a quick 360 viewing my surroundings. I didn't see anyone or anything in the immediate vicinity.

I filled my jacket pockets and most of the backpack when I finally decided to head back. The return trip was not as fast for I was weighed down by the much needed food. On the way back I found a few containers of cat food and remembered that Klunk was kinda sick and had been sleeping alot since we escaped from the lab. I picked them up and continued my march home.

I was about three blocks from the warehouse when I feel something down by my ankle. I froze immediatly. It felt like something furry wrapping itself around my ankle. I carefully but quickly look down.

To my surprise it wasn't what I thought it was. I was expecting a big ugly eraser mitt to be wrapping itself around me so they could take me back to the lab, but it wasn't. What I saw was a small black, tan, and white puppy curling up around my foot. Almost all of it was black except it's paws, chest, tail, ears, and right above the eyes. It's paws and above the eyes were tan. On it's legs the color extended to about the knee or ankle and the affect on it's eyes made it seem as if it had eyebrows. There was a white "T" on it's chest and the tips of it's ears and tail were white as well.

I picked it..._her _up and felt how cold she was. Despite the poofy fur she looked really hungry. It was difficult to see now because it was so dark, but she looked more like a bear than a dog. The wind began to blow harshly and she whimpered and cuddled up to my plastron seeking warmth. It was then that I made my decision.

"Your comin home wit me." I sighed and held her gently against my plastron.

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I was about ten or twenty steps from the door when it suddenly began pouring rain. The little pup I was cradling began crying and tried to burrow deeper into my arms.

"Hang on." I said gently as I broke into a run.

"I'll getcha warm and dry soon. I promise."

I burst through the wooden door and slammed it shut so hard I thought that it would fly off it's hinges.

There was no noise at all inside the warehouse. That was because my brothers probably stopped doing whatever they were doing and moved to a hiding place in case of an attack.

I started a whistle to let them know it was me. It's a unique one we made up and we all use it. It starts out high pitched and gradually gets lower then at the end you rattle your voice so that it sounds almost exactly like a bird chirping. You have to do all this in one breath and it has to be pretty loud. we can do it because our lungs are larger than normal so we can still breath while we fly. Not that any of us have actually flown yet, but our wings have grown. Leo's and Mikey's are about fourteen feet long and mine are seventeen feet with only one foot to go. I still can't start flying yet, my wings won't hold me and Don says it bee to dangerous but he doesn't know for sure he's just taking precautions.

After the whistle sounded there were shuffles, stomps, and relieved sighs coming from about five floors above my head. Now that it was safe I started up the stairs.

"Hey Raphie. Long time no see!" My orange-banded brother exclaimed.

I reached down, grabbed his ankle, and proceeded to dangle him outside the window and in the rain.

"Call me Raphie one more time sweetheart, please." I cooed with a menacing grin.

"Put him down Raph." I hear Leo chuckle.

I swivel my head around and see him standing there with an amused look on his face.

"Inside or out?"

"Raph."

"Alright, alright."

I shrugged, brought Mikey back in, and dropped him on his head where he landed with a satisfying "Thunk."

"Ow!"

"So what did you get?" Don asked as he made his way into the room.

"And what is that?" Leo put in as he gestured towards the ball of wet fur in my arms.

I smiled warmly and gently set the pup on the floor and moved to grab a towel.

"Awwww." I heard Mikey coo as I turned around. I look back and see all my brothers except Mikey giving me odd looks.

"What?" I asked

More odd looks, more cooing, and throw in some barking.

"So, Mikey can bring home a cat on Christmas Eve and not get ant weird look, but I can't do the same thing with a dog?" I asked as I wrapped the puppy, who had run over to me, in a towel.

"Sorry, we just never took you as the kind of guy to do that." Don commented

"Oh like I'm gonna leave this poor little girl out in the rain. What's da time?"

"December 24, 11:51 PM." Don stated.

Leo sighed and flopped down on our ratty old bed.

"I said _time _not date." I hissed

"Sorry I forgot about that."

There has got to be a way to cheer him up." Mikey sighed.

_"Oh but there is." _I thought as I gazed at the small black poof-ball in the towel.

I walk over to Leo and plop the little tyke right on his chest. To say that he was startled would be a major understatement. The pup seemed to know what to do because she immediately began barking and licking Leo's face off. I deemed the mission a success for Leo smiled. In fact he began bellowing with laughter. Needless to say the night went downhill from there.

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In fact the next few days went downhill from there. Leo's Christmas present to me was letting me keep the dog I found. Don said she's gonna get huge, but I don't care. She's mine an I ain't never gonna let her go. She's been alot of fun. She manages to cheer everyone up when they're upset. Even Leo. I decided to name her Sheba because, that always been a name I liked and she seems to like it too.

We've managed to really make the food stretch out this time and still have some from my last foraging trip. Oh, get this. We actually got Donnie off the ground. Okay so it was just for a few seconds but hey. It's an accomplishment. Me on the other hand, my wings are fully developed but I have to work with them. Build up their strength or they'll never carry me.

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"Uuuuuuuuuuum. Guys?" Mikey mumbled one afternoon.

"What now dim-bulb?" I asked as I looked up from Sheba.

"Well, it's just that there's a black van pulling up. With tinted windows."

We all froze. A black van with tinted windows meant erasers and erasers meant the lab. At that moment we were all seconds away from panicking.

Once again I stole a glance out the window and sure enough there were big hulking surly eraser popping out of the van like daisies.

"Don't panic guys. Just stay calm. You know what to do." Leo said as he too backed away from the window. Mikey had Klunk in his arms and I frantically began looking for Sheba. I spotted her as she made a mad dash for the stairs.

"Sheba, no!" I began to run towards her but my brothers caught my arms and held me back.

"No Raph. You can't!" Don exclaimed.

"I can't just let her go! I can't abandon her!!"

"Raph she can take care of herself we have to go!" Leo said.

"No she can't! She's just a puppy Leo. A baby. My baby. I can't let them get her. I didn't abandon her that night and I'm not gonna abandon her now!" I tore away as tears began streaming down my cheeks. If they caught her who knows what they were gonna do with her. Well they weren't getting her. Not my baby. Not my little girl.

"Follow the plan!" I shouted as I ran after my girl. "I'll meet you at Angel Haven." And with that I ran off.

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**Meanwhile...just across the street from the warehouse stood a Father and his rescue party.**

"What are they." The Sliver Centry asked as he saw the wolf-like things pour out of the van and flood the warehouse.

"Who cares what they are they are attacking my sons." I shouted.

I looked down again and saw a black puppy run out of the warehouse and across the street unaware of the danger surrounding it. Then only moments behind it came one of my sons. The red-banded one. Raphael.

But something was wrong for as soon as he set foot outside the safety of his warehouse and saw all the wolf-men he screamed in terror and panicked. No plan. Just charging through them and running for all he was worth.

"What was that." Casey asked. "Raph never runs and he never ever shows that he's scared. What's going on?"

"I do not know but I am going to find out." I said.

I look across the street and see the shadowy figures of the rest of my sons also exiting the warehouse.

"April, Silver Centry, you follow the rest of my sons. Casey and I will handle Raphael."

And with those words we ran off in pursuit of my sons.

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_"I did it. I got past the erasers. I screamed like a girl but, I did it. They didn't get me. Now I just have to get Sheba and get the out of here."_

I was right behind her and soon she was in my arms whimpering, and kicking and, trying to bite.

"Shhhhh. It's okay now Sheba. Your alright. I'm here. They're not gonna get you. I won't let them."

I comforted her and she calmed down. Turning to snuggle up against me. The safest place for her would be my backpack and i just so happened to have grabbed it on the way out so in she went.

She actually enjoyed herself when I put her in there. She loved it. Now on to Angel Haven and my brothers.

"Raph?" A farmilier voice said.

I stiffened. No. Please no. But I knew that voice all too well. It was Casey. My buddy. What was he thinking right now. I know how I look and I look horrible. The muscle that I had is depleted and you can somewhat see the bones stretching the skin on my elbows. I did not want him to see me like this, but I turned around anyway and sure enough I was right. It was Casey, but Splinter stood beside him.

"Raph, is it really?" the pain evident in his voice.

"Yeah Case. It's really me." I know I shouldn't have said anything, but I had too. I couldn't just run off without saying something to them. This was my best friend and my father.

"Where have you been?" Typical of Splinter to ask a question like that.

"Around." Then I turned and ran for all I was worth, because not only was I endangering them but I could hear erasers closing in and the more I remained still the better chance they would have of catching me and I would not go back there. Not alive anyway. So, I ran.

"My son!"

"Raph!" voices behind me shouted and I heard their footsteps follow shortly, but I couldn't stop. If I did I wouldn't be able to start running again. The tears in my eyes made it almost impossible to see, but my sadness was soon replaced by fear.

This was Splinter, my dad, and Casey, my best friend, They knew me. They could always catch me. No matter what I did. I leapt onto the fire escape and began to climb. I could still hear them clearly behind me and they were getting closer. They didn't have a dog to carry too. But I was resolved to save her. I would not put her down to save me.

I tore across the rooftops jumping over alleys, swinging on clotheslines, and still the gained on me. Only then did I realize where I had run. There were no more buildings to jump onto. I was trapped. No I wasn't trapped. I took a glance over the edge of the building and remembered Don's words.

_"You can't fly just yet. they're not strong enough. If you jumped off a building like this it'd be game over. Wham splat."_

But what was worse dying, or condeming my father and freinds to this fate?

They were both speaking to me but I didn't hear them. I slowly backed away until my foot reached the edge of the ten story building.

"Raph?" Casey said. Obviously seeing exactly where I was standing.

"Raphael my son. What are you doing?"

"Taking the necessary steps to ensure no one but me gets hurt."

And with that final word I spread my arms and threw myself over he edge. Their screams drowned out by the rush of wind.

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**Big fat nasty CLIFF HANGER. almost literally. I took me forever to write this but it's finished yay! I really do own the dog and her name really is Sheba. R&R please.**


	5. On the road again

**Hello again I know I made all of you mad with that cliffie, but I couldn't resist. I hope your having as much fun as I am. R&R hope you enjoy.**

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**Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT goes for other chapters to.**

Chapter 5: On the road again

Raph's POV

Everything was so peaceful as I fell. All I heard was the wind rushing past me then a small whimper. Sheba. She was still in my pack. If I died so would she. Perhaps I can catch enough wind to slow my fall or even glide. I have to try.

I open my eyes and see the ground rushing up to meet me. I glance back and see Casey and Slinter looking over the edge of the building. I hear her whimper again and I unfurl my wings.

"Ouch!" I scream as they catch the updraft of the wind suddenly pulling me upwards.

"Holy shit." I whisper.

"I'm...I'm flying."

"Oh dang it flap! FLAP!"

I look around at the city and am stunned. It's so beautiful from up here. Sheba's dug her way back into my pack. Something tells me doesn't like heights. There it is. Angel Haven, just up ahead. Don told me that when or if we ever fly that we need to tilt our wings and our body in certain directions in order to steer. I had already figured that part out.

It was amazing. I felt like a part of it. A part of the sky. This was also my dream, and here I was fulfilling it. Only problem is...how the heck do I land?

Angel Haven is just a very unique spot in Miami. It is in fact a bunch of cliffs gathered around the shoreline. Lots of rocky inclines and crevices where we can hide. Also easy for takeoffs cause it's so windy up there and that's where I was going. To see my bros.

I wasn't high enough to go above the clouds in fact I was nowhere near them. Because of my enhanced vision I could already see my brothers. They were indeed throwing Don around and he did not look pleased.

"Quick Don how do I land!?" I shouted as got closer.

They just stood there. Mouths hanging open like dead fish. They sure are a great help.

"Guys!"

"Oh right!"

"Yeah!"

"First of all you need to extend you legs out so they're below you. Then steadily swoop towards the ground and as you get closer flap your wings faster but don't stretch them out as much so they'll slow your fall!" Don shouted.

I followed his instructions to the letter. I was sooo close to perfecting my landing when I went over a cliff. It wasn't that far down but it sure hurt! I hit the far wall of the ravine and kept ricocheting off the walls until I reached the bottom and splatted face down in mud.

"You kinda need to watch out for the cliffs."

"Yeah, thanks." I muttered as I peeled myself out of the mud and began to climb back up.

"Soooo, now that Raph's here, where exactly are we going." Mikey asked.

"I don't know." Leo said. "I guess wherever the road takes us.

"Won't we need a car or something." Don asked.

I swear I think they saw the light bulb appear above my head. Either that or the sinister smile cued them in on the fact that I was scheming.

"Yes we will."

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"Raph, you have got to be kidding me." Leo whispered.

"Nope." I responded.

"Raph, it's bad enough that we're fugitives from our own family ,and so forth, but I do not want to add carjacking to my list of crimes today."

"Ya got a betta idea?"

That comment earned me a glare. Which was his way of saying "no".

"Don."

"Yeah."

"You know how to hot wire this puppy?" I indicated a large rust-eaten van parked across the street.

"Umm. Yeah, but will that junk heap hold together long enough for us to even get out of town."

"Well, we can at least try. Right." Mikey stated.

"Alright. I'll try."

To be completely honest I wasn't too sure that it would hold together for us to even start the engine, but we had to try. We had to get out of this town before they found us. Either the erasers, or our family.

We approached the van cautiously, just in case anyone was watching and Don got to work hot wiring the thing. We didn't have time for repairs. Doubt we ever would. We'd just ride it till it broke down, then hoof it.

I kept a lookout while they loaded the van up. Eyeing every building, every shadow, anything that moved. All the while holding Sheba up to my chest vowing to never let her outta my sight again. She was asleep by the time we got the van loaded and running so I gently set her down in my lap once I was in a seat and we took off. Once again leaving everything familiar behind. But it wasn't like last time. It wasn't like New York. Here I was just leaving a city, but New York. That was _my _city, and it'd been seven months since I'd last seen her.

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We've been on the road for four days now. Nonstop. Surprised this old hunk of junk hasn't up and quit on us. Klunk's feeling alot better, can't say the same for Donny though. I was told that soon after I left they gassed the warehouse and Don passed out. Hope he's okay. I couldn't bear to lose him. Not him, not anyone. They're all I got now. Don's on the floor of van sleeping and we finally got Leo to take a break too, Mikey's driving. Heaven protect us.

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"Here Mike. Lemme take over. Ya been driving all day." I muttered.

"Alright. just don't drive into a tree or anything." He mumbled and collapsed onto the floor.

Man he was really tired. I looked around and couldn't see one tree in sight. We were in Arizona for Pete's sake. Poor Don's still sleeping. Has been all day. Hasn't even stirred. I'm really getting worried about him. Yesterday he was coughing so bad that his throat actually started bleeding. He scared the crap out of all of us.

I stare straight ahead, concentrating solely on putting as much distance between us and those erasers as possible. I hope the next few days go by fast. In a few minuets Leo'll probably take over driving and he'll take us who knows where. As long as it's somewhere safe I don't care. I'm getting kinda tired of Arizona myself so, I'm gonna start heading North. Into the mountains. I need a change of scenery real bad. I gotta be surrounded by something tall. If not buildings then trees. Rock mountains here we come.

I'll get my rest time soon enough. I just hope fearless is gettin enough.

**Later...**

"And the time is now 1:45 AM on Thursday, January 18 and I am officially crazy, hence the talking to myself."

"Oh come on. Your not crazy. Your just bored."

"Yup I'm crazy. Because now I'm answering myself."

**Much much later...**

"1,972 bottles of beer on the wall 1,972. You take one down ya pass it around. 1,971 bottles of beer on the wall. 1,971 bottles of beer on the wall 1,971 ya take one down ya pass it around. 1,970 bottles of beer on the"

"Dare I ask what number you started at." Yes! fearless was finally awake.

"Nope. You taking over?"

"Yup. It's 9:00."

"And ya point?"

"Go get some sleep Raph."

That was fine by me. We changed hands and I collapsed on the floor falling into a deep sleep soon after.

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I awoke, after what I'm told to be two days of sleeping, to find that Leo had gotten us all the way to Wyoming. Well it was two days. We didn't really talk much. We had pilot, co-pilot, and observer. At the moment I was the observer. It was my job to watch over all the pets, keep an eye on Don, who still hasn't waken up yet, and keep a sharp lookout for erasers.

I was thinking about where our next stop'll be at. Where're we gonna live next and how long are we gonna be there? I was so engrossed in these thoughts that I almost didn't hear the faint sound of gagging, but fortunately I did hear it. Unfortunately the van finally quit on us.

Leo and Mike had gotten out to see if they could do anything when I heard the retching sound. I spun around to see Donny awake but spewing blood and an awful smelling black fluid all over himself and the truck. There was so much that it was choking him and he couldn't breath.

"Oh crap, LEO!" I shouted as I tried to sit him up so he could breath.

"What? How bad is it?"

"You better fucking get your fat ass in here now!"

He was in here in a flash. Ever since we got captured we don't swear very often, and when we do it's usually over something big. Don't ask me why we stopped, we just did.

"Leo please what do I do?" I begged

"Keep him elevated."

"I am!"

"Raph stop that. It's hard for me to think when you have that panicky tone in your voice." He shouted.

"It's not a tone. I'M PANICKING!!"

"We've gotta get him someplace safer than this. we're in the middle of the road. We gotta move him."

Following his orders I grabbed his legs while Leo got his arms and supported his head the best he could. By now Don had stopped hurling the awful stuff everywhere but still wasn't breathing right. Mikey took care of the animals and what few possessions we took with us.

We headed down the nearest road. Which was a dirt road and soon came across a farmhouse. Upon closer examination I deemed it to be a ranch. The horses kinda cued me in. We headed for the barn and set Don down in the rafters where all the hay is stored. I forget what the name of that place is. Then Leo decided that someone needed to go into the house for water and the first aid.

"I hate to do this," He said. "but someone has got to go get water and first aid from the house."

"I'll go." I said and jumped down.

I was so worried about Don that I didn't give it a second thought nor did I give them enough time to argue. I walked past the many horse stalls. Eyeing each mare and stallion. They were pure power and I was going to enjoy staying here. Even for the short amount of time that Leo would be sure to give us.

Secretly I always have liked horses and not just for their power. But for their beauty. They can be as wild and reckless as thunder over the land and still keep all their beauty. I often think of wild horses. They fascinate me more than anything else. Mostly because I believe them to be the true pioneers of America. Most people say that the history of the west was written from the saddle of a horse. That everywhere a settler left his footprint there was a hoof print beside it. I love these animals.

Before I knew it I was in the house. From the looks of it there was only one person living here right now. I took a plastic disposable cup, not wanting to dirty any of their dishes, and filled it with cool water. My next task was somewhat more of a challenge. Next I had to find the first aid kit and Who knows where that could be. This house was huge.

I searched through what I think was the living room first and heard some creaking. I paid no heed. It was probably just the house settling. Next I went back to the kitchen and low and behold there it was. Right in the drawer underneath the plastic cups. With my duty fulfilled I turned to head out the door, but was when the lights in the house suddenly turned on. With me in the middle of the room.

"Who's there!?" A female voice shouted.

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**Sorry please don't kill me. I know it's another cliffie but please don't kill me. I'm having alot of fun writing this. Hope your having fun reading this R&R please.**


	6. Unexpected aquaintances

**OMG!! I am sooooo sorry. I haven't updated this in over a month. I have a tumor in my wrist so I'm really sorry if it takes a while for me to update again, but it really hurts. Anyway I hope your enjoying the story so far R&R. On to chapter six.**

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disclaimer: No Don't own them. Or the book. But Samantha is mine. So don't mess with her!! )

Chapter 6: Unexpected acquaintances

Samantha's POV

I am desperately needing help around the ranch. First of all I've got five pregnant mares that I have to watch very carefully. _Five. _And my lead stallion, shadow, has really been acting up lately. Today he took the whole herd into the woods. It took me forever to round them all up and on top of that while I was out finding all of them I saw a couple mountain lions or cougars. Whichever you call them. So now I've got to keep the whole herd away from the trees until I can hunt down those lions.

Needless to say today was pretty exhausting. I've said it once I'll say it again I. NEED. Help. I was pretty relieved when I was finally able to collapse onto my bed. I was so tired that I didn't even undress or anything. Just sacked out in my T-shirt and jeans.

I'm a pretty light sleeper so I can wake up at the slightest sound. It may sound cool but it gets pretty annoying. But anyway that's what happened

At first I wasn't too sure that I'd heard anything at all. I was about to go back to sleep when I heard the sound of the kitchen faucet running. Who on God's green Earth would be in my house at this time of night?

I always sleep with a pistol in the drawer on my nightstand and a rifle under my bed. I put them there in case of lions. I never dreamed that I'd have someone break into my house way out here. Whoever it is has got to be pretty desperate.

As quickly and as quietly as I could I loaded up, stuck the pistol in pants behind my back, grabbed the rifle, and headed towards the stairs. Creaking them as I descended.

I was in the Marines for a short time and had to take stealth training. Along with aim and hand- to-hand and even medical. The piont is that I can be completely silent when I'm in an environment that allowed me to do so. I need to memorize which stairs creak and which don't. Thanks to the Marines my aim is deadly. I had the element of surprise so I had the upper hand, but you never,_ never_underestimate your opponent. The you do might just be the day you die.

I heard him in the kitchen and stopped at the light-switch which is just outside the kitchen. This is where it would begin.

In the same fluid movement I cocked my rifle and flipped the switch.

"Who's there!?" I shouted in a demanding tone.

I heard no sound now.

"I know your in there. Now answer me! Who are you and why are you here?!"

Still no answer. That was it. I dove from behind the wall and landed on the floor with catlike agility and immediately taking aim.

I'm not too sure what it was that I saw, but it looked like a leg disappearing behind the corner. But this leg was green and the foot had two toes instead of five. Whatever it was it wasn't human.

I broke out into a run trying to stay out of sight and be quiet at the same time. Human or not he broke into my house and he is going to tell me why.

I followed him out the door and all the way to my barn. I most certainly couldn't go in there. That's where he was staying and who knows if there are more of them. If I went in there I would no longer be the hunter. I would be the hunted.

Unwilling to jeopardize this I snuck around outside, surveying the scene. Bingo, the hayloft light was on. Not daring to make noise and get out the ladder I climbed up the side of the barn until I was right beside the hayloft window. This feat was possible thanks to years worth of vines that had developed on that side.

"Be careful. Be careful!" I heard from inside the loft. The voice was scratchy and almost childlike.

"I'm being as careful as I can Mikey." So that was the owner of the scratchy voice. Mikey. This voice on the other hand was much different compared to Mikey's. It flowed smoothly but sternly from the owners mouth. Controlling and leader-like.

"Leo, Leo he's not breathing!" I felt my breath catch in my throat. Was I about to listen to one of them die?

"I can see that Mikey, now shut up. His throat's closed up. It's sealed itself and blocking the air. Raph quick hand me that tube and help Mikey hold Don down. He is _not_ gonna like this."

I heard the sounds of someone gagging and a struggle. I didn't dare look for fear that they might see me.

"Donny, Donny, come on bro hold still. calm down. If you keep thrashing around it's gonna take longer for him to get it down."

This voice was different from the rest and not just in the accent which I recognized to be from New York. Perhaps it was Raph's. This voice was tough and like Leo's his was controlling. But the voice bore something else. A torment it seemed. The voice's owner probably had put up a tough exterior to hide that pain, but it did not hide from her. He was truly a sensitive and caring person. Something was going on in there and I was going to help.

I dropped down from my lofty perch and ran back towards the house. Just inside the coat closet were tranquilizer rifles and pistols along with plenty of ammo. I could never ever bring myself to actually shoot one of them. So I'll use these instead. They won't be in any real danger, but they won't know that. Whether they cared to admit it or not they need help and I can give it to them. They can stay here at my place. Provided they help out a bit.

Once again I loaded up, put the guns in the same spots, and headed out again. As I approached I could hear them talking. It was Leo's voice that I heard first.

"Your gonna be okay now Don. Breath slowly. Don't try and move. Just relax. Breath."

This time I would have to brave the front door. Then again if I do that then they ight see me before I can get a clean shot at them. I took a glance at the vines that I had climbed earlier. I could do it. Just gently ease into the loft once you get high enough. No sound. I couldn't mess up.

I swung my rifle around to where it rested on my back and began the ascent to the loft.

When I reached the top I waited. I could hear them talking but couldn't make out much of their conversation for they were whispering. There had to be at least four of them up there. Mikey would be the youngest most likely. Playful and cheery most of the time. Leo would be the oldest, not necessarily the strongest but most definitely the most mature. The leader. Raph would be the second oldest and perhaps the strongest. Going by the way he talked he would be the one I really have to watch. He sounded like a hothead and a risk-taker. I know exactly how people like him act. I guess Donny would be the one who's sick.

I was able to understan a few words from their conversation before I swung in, but I did not have the time to listen anymore. From what I heard they were discussing where they would live next. Heh heh, problem solved.

They all had there backs to me. Well, actually I guess they had their shells to me. I knew they weren't human but I still didn't expected to see four five foot turtles. They were amazing. I wonder how they got that way.

I looked at each one of them and listened closely to their voices. Leo was the one in the blue mask, Raph would be the one with the red mask, Mikey would be the one in the orange mask. I could see who I presumed to be Donny lying on a haystack asleep. He had a purple mask and a tube down his throat which opened his windpipe, allowing him to breath. He looked really sick. In fact they all looked terrible. Except for Raph, he just had a bunch of bad bruises and a few scrapes. The others had claw marks and bite marks that looked pretty deep.

"Need help?" I asked. Making my presance known to them.

They looked as if they'd had this happen to them a hundred times, and it probably has. But not like this. I couldn't win in hand- to- hand combat. Not against them. Their jumps were well planned and executed with precision. Yeah I would most definatly lose in hand-to-hand. So I cheated. I took out my rifle and pointed it at Don while taking out my pistol and pointing it at them.

I knew this would work because they're brothers. I could see it in their eyes. They would look out for each other. I couldn't do this for very long. They would figure out something to do and then I'd be dog food. They were smart. I had to stay one step ahead of them.

The moment my gun went to Don they all froze. Except Raph. He kept coming. So I cocked it.

"Raph!" Leo shouted.

He kept coming. He knew. He knew that this wasn't a gun that would kill. He knew it had trancs in it. So he kept coming.

"Raph stop right now!" He shouted again.

"Raph come on. She'll do it!" This time it was Mikey.

"Yeah Raph. You should probably listen to them. Cause I will." I taunted.

He waited until he was about three yards from me and then he stopped.

"You lying son of a"

"Raph! Enough!" Leo shouted again.

I smiled. "Wise choice Raphie."

His response to that was a low growl. It was plain he didn't like being trapped. He stared back at me. His fiery gaze burning holes right through me.

I blew a strand of red hair out of my face and Raph sprang. Surprised I turned and shot him. I shot him with both guns. It stunned him so I took that moment to shoot the rest of them. Now all I had to do was wait.

Now keep in mind that trancs don't work like they do in movies. Where the person just drops on the spot. No they take time. Enough of the fluid has to make it through the bloodstream_ then_ they drop. I threw the guns down and took a defensive stance. They looked pissed.

Raph was closest so he jumped on me. I was able to move out of the way in the nick of time but now I had all the others on my tail and...a dog. Wow. I jumped down out of the hayloft and into the horse stalls. Now I had only two after me. Mikey must have dropped already. They were amazing. Their balance and precision. To bad their looking to grind me into Sam hamburger. From the look on Raph's face I'd say he'd do it to. I was in trouble. BIG trouble.

_"How do I get myself into things like this?"_ I _thought_.

"Thump"

_"Two down one to go."_

"Leo? Leo! Damn it." I heard Raph shout. "Show yourself you bastard!"

I expected him to be the first one down since I hit him with two darts but he wasn't.

"Aha!" I looked up to see him, and man was he pissed. He jumped on me and within seconds had me against the wall.

"You think dat cha can get away with this? I am gonna hit cha so hard your gonna be seein martians and it aint gonna be your imagination!!"

His speech was slurred. Yep anytime now I'd have him too.

"Oooo. That was a good one. Goodnight." I said just as he lost his grip and collapsed onto the floor of the empty stall.

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I gathered each one up and moved them too my extra rooms in the house. The only ones left to deal with were Don and that blasted dog. I made my back into the hayloft to see that the dog had positioned herself next to Don and looked like she was not going to let anyone near him. I circled around and saw that there was also a cat on his chest. Man how many animals do they have?

He started stirring. He opened his eyes and when he saw me almost jumped sky high. I took a step forward. The dog started growling. Another step. Teeth bared. Another. Fur on end.

"You mind calling off your dog?" I said to him.

No answer. Well duh. He had a tube down his throat.

"Just so ya know your brothers are fine. They're in my house on the beds. Yes it took some convincing. I promise I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just here to help. Besides I'm sure a bed would be alot more comfortable than that hay. Will you come with me?"

This time he nodded. He looked kinda dazed. He grabbed the dog and started to stand up. I ran over and slung his arm around my shoulder. With the dog and the cat following I helped him back to the house. He wouldn't lie down until he had seen his brothers so I took him around the house and showed him where they all were. He looked worried when they wouldn't wake up so I told them that I had tranquilized them. He didn't look too pleased about that but I finally got him into bed.

After I had put Don to bed I noticed the animals were gone. Great the last thing I needed were two animals running around tearing up my house. So I went off in search for them. I found the dog lying next to Raph and she growled once again when I got near. I found the cat curled up next to Mikey. Well I guess I'd better turn in. Tomorrow is going to be a bitch. I've gotta work the ranch and keep all these guys in tow. They all needed to lie down for a bit and that wasn't going to be an easy task.

I walked upstairs to my room tying my flaming hair into a bun and examining my tattoo. It was a rather big one but it was still cool and I don't regret getting it. On one arm it has a dragon coiling down it and breathing fire out onto my hand. It's tail is wrapped around a ship on my chest and the anchor is coiling down my other arm. At the end of the anchor is a skull with a captain's hat on it. It's a really big really cool tattoo. My mom hates me for getting it though.

Of all the turtles Raph is the one who grabbed me the most. He seemed hurt but hiding it desperately. What would scare a guy like him? He seemed rough and tough. I liked him and that martians thing man. He's pretty good at stuff like that I reckon. He's pretty cool and, I can't believe I'm thinking this, hot. I've never said that about anyone but his body wow. Those muscles and he uses them. Not like those other guys whose pick up line is " Hey wanna come watch me pump iron." I hate guys like that. I think I'm gonna enjoy having them here. They're all pretty cool and I fall asleep wondering what the next day will bring.


	7. Captive guests

Fly away

Fly away

Disclaimer: I do not own the books maximum ride or the TMNT. If I did I wouldn't be posting on this site.

Chapter 7: Captive guests

At the ranch: day one.

POV: No one in particular. Meaning I'll switch it around a lot. But for now…..

Leonardo

"_Oooooh man. What hit me?"_ I thought to myself as I woke up.

I slowly sat up until I was suddenly struck by immense pain all over my body. I cried out and fell back down onto the pillow.

"_Pillow?"_

I open my eyes and look around to see that I am in a bed. An actual bed, in a room. A room I have never seen before. Soft clean sheets and unstained non-dusty blankets. I throw the covers off and look at myself. I'm well bandaged and my wounds have been cleaned. Cleaned and dressed with actual _bandages_ instead of pieces of cloth.

"But where would Donny get stuff like this…and where the shell am I!? Wait Don couldn't have done this. He he's hurt. He's sick. But who?"

An itch lands itself on my arm and on reflex I scratch it. I look down at it and see a rather good-sized needle mark on my upper arm. A new needle mark. Suddenly it all came back to me. That girl, she hit me with a dart. It must've knocked me out.

Adrenaline pumps through me. I am filled with one objective and one alone. To find my brothers. I swing my feet around and set them down on the floor.

"Okay Leo calm down I really don't think she rigged the room and if she was with the lab then you wouldn't have woken up in a bed. You would have woken up in a dog crate surrounded by creepy scientists. So calm down."

I stand up slowly, careful not to aggravate my injuries. I swear next time I see those worthless dogs I'll kill them. Kill them and parade around with their heads on a stick. I am so tired of being run out of my own home by them. I slowly walk towards the door and reach for the doorknob. When it turns.

The door swings open to reveal the same woman I saw last night. The one who shot me and took my brothers. Fear fills me but it's drowned out by my anger.

"Well look who woke up." She says.

"Where are they?" I ask her.

"Safe. You should lie back down."

"No. WHERE are they? Tell me right now."

"In other rooms now lie down."

"Same answer! Get out of my way!"

"Where are you going?"

"To find my brothers and get the heck out of here."

"You're not going anywhere. Not like that. You need to get some rest."

"I've had worse move it!"

"No."

"This is the last time that I'm gonna tell you this. Get. Out. Of. My. Way!"

I stare her dead in the face. I was so focused on getting out of there that I didn't see the dart she had in her hand until it was too late. She moved so fast that I didn't have time to dodge. I felt a pinch in my arm and grew dizzy. She did it again.

"You can thank Donny for the stronger trancs." She said as she half carried half dragged me to the bed and put me back on it.

"I know all your names because I didn't attack right away. I listened for a while. I'll come back later with some food. You look like you need it. Get some rest Leo." She said as she placed my head on the pillow and began covering me with the blankets.

It was so warm and so soft. Darkness crept into my eyes and I closed them letting it take me. I was far to weak to try and fight it. Plus their Don's.

POV: Donnatello

Looking trough the bars of my dog crate I see many things. One of which is a long hallway. I know where this hall leads. I've been led down it before. Out of all of hell's torture chambers that is the one I fear the most. Because you never know what they're going to do.

_The last time I was in here had been twelve months ago. Ever since then they had been doing physical and mental experiments on me. Such as seeing how fast I could run, how much I could lift, problem solving abilities, how long I could run or lift something, and sometimes all five. It was the same thing for my brothers too. I hated that room._

_For some reason I was their most prized experiment. Most likely because I was the first of my kind. I was subject 11. I was a biological gold mine and they made sure they got every piece of gold that there was to be had._

_My first time in that room was agonizing. That time was when they had grafted my DNA with avian. For the first month that I was there they had been running physical and mental tests on me. Then they did this._

_They took me out of me cage once we were in the room and the door was secured. I had showed them exactly how much I didn't want to be here. It took five men to get me on that table and three more to tie me down. My legs and arms were all spread out and I couldn't move any part of my body at all._

_They had straps on my ankles, knees, thighs, two across my stomach, one across my chest, around my neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. They had this huge very thick needle fastened onto a machine above me. They filled this syringe with many different chemicals of which I could not identify. Once it was filled they all left the room and went into another one that had a window into my room. I guessed that this one also had the controls to the syringe._

_I had been right. Once the last scientist entered that room the needle began to move. It moved and positioned itself directly over my midsection. Then it began to slowly lower itself down. The moment I got a good look at that needle I knew that this would hurt. Alot. I watched it as it stopped directly above my plastron and waited. Then suddenly, quickly, it was thrust through my shell and into me. The simple cracking sound of my plastron still gives me nightmares._

_I don't know how long I screamed. I don't know how loud. All I knew at that moment was that I wanted out. Now more than ever. I wanted to see my family again. In fact they were the ones that I was screaming for. I called them, begging them to come help me to save me and bring me home like they had done so many times before. But no one came. No one heard._

_They had brought me to that room again. Tied me down again. Only this time my head was fastened down as well. I couldn't lift it or even jiggle it. The syringes were smaller and there were two of them this time. It was the same routine. Fill and leave. This time they positioned themselves above my eyes came down slowly only this time they didn't stop. This had happened to Raph not too long ago. I remember him telling us. Never said what it did or what it was supposed to do. They kept coming lower and lower until they finally reached their target_.

I sat up with a jolt and tried to scream but couldn't. I found that I had a small tube down my throat. I looked around and couldn't recognize where I was. I panicked. I threw the covers off and tried to get out of the bed I was in. Key word _tried_.

Warm familiar hands connected with my shoulders and forced me back down onto the bed. But I didn't want to lie back down I wanted out of there. When I kept struggling the person sat on top of my plastron and pinned me to the bed.

"Donny, Don it's okay. It was just a dream your safe. Calm down, calm down." Mikey's calm voice seized me and at that instant I knew that I was safe. Instantly I stopped thrashing about and lay still.

"There ya go dude. You really know how to scare a guy don't ya?" He joked as he got off of me.

I opened my eyes again and sank into the softness of the bed. I fingered the tube in my mouth remembering when it was put in. Leo had saved my life. He knew exactly what to do.

"Do you think it's okay to take that out now?"

I look back up at my brother and nod.

"Okay then. Hold still so I can do this right."

He reached towards it and removed the tape, which was holding it in place. Once removed he gently began pulling it out of my throat. I resisted gagging and coughing so he could do this properly. Once it was out I let loose a coughing fit. A terrible burning pain followed the coughing, but at least the retched thing was out.

"Oh man Donny are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, this is expected." I managed to wheeze.

I look up and see a woman with hair so bright and so red it looked as if her head was on fire. The one who put me into bed in the first place.

"Hey Mikey I got some food. Oh hey Don's up. How are you?" She asked as she set a tray down on the nightstand.

"Oh he's fine. FOOD!!" he immediately attacked what she had brought.

"Wow."

"That's nothing." My voice was hoarse. "Our metabolisms are very fast we eat a lot. You might wanna get more before he starts eating his own appendages."

"Sure. Are you hungry?"

My face lit up like a Christmas tree and I nodded.

"Okey dokey then. Two large plates of food coming up."

"She's pretty cool huh?"

"What?"

"Samantha. That's her name she prefers Sam though. She saw Raph last night when he came into the house and followed him out to the barn the tranquilized all of us when we attacked her put us in bed then came out got you and put you in bed. She works here alone. She had a lot of questions most of which I decided not to answer but she had a ton. Especially about You and Leo. Click click."

"Mikey are you suggesting that she is interested in Leo and me?"

Mike couldn't answer at that moment because she had come back with the food and he was now stuffing his face. She set down the huge plate of food and I was shocked. I had not seen that much food in a long time. I suddenly felt guilty about eating all this when she had to pay for it.

"It's okay. Go ahead and eat that. I'm overstocked anyway."

I pick up the plate and whisper a thank you, she nods and I begin to eat. It was fresh and not out of a dumpster. On the plate were eggs, large pancakes, and lots of bacon. I hadn't tasted food this good in seven months and perhaps I could finally not feel hunger pains constantly. Perhaps this would satisfy me.

POV: Raph

Author's note (Uh oh! Duck and cover.) 0

I look about as I am rolled down a long hallway. Since I'm tied down any hope of escaping here and now has been squashed. We all hated the room that I was being sent to. It was the operating room and they didn't believe in painkillers unless it was a life threatening operation. Said it was all part of the test.

_I was taken in and the wheels were locked in place. They didn't take any chances with me anymore. Not after what I did when I first got here. I'm not normally one to do something like that but from the way Don wigged out when they came ta take him I knew I had to put up a fight. I didn't care what happened to them._

_I could faintly hear small whimpers and I turned my head taking my attention off of what the whitecoats were doing and noticed another window to another operating room. This one held a woman. She had retractable claws, pointed ears, gills and scaly skin she was also not wearing a blessed thing. I felt my face heat up and took my eyes away from her personal areas. She was crying as the doctors surrounded her and for what seemed like an eternity I heard nothing. Then a shrill scream filled the air a scream filled with pure agony. I knew that because that same scream had escaped my lips many times before. Blood sprayed across the window as the scream continued soaking the glass in red liquid. Then all at once the screams stopped. I closed my eyes and uttered a small prayer for her soul. At least she was free._

_Then I noticed that the scientist in my neck of the woods had gotten out the surgical equipment and my right leg was tied down securely. The tall one asked for the scalpel, it was given to him, and he looked at me and smiled._

"_I am making the first incision on subject 12 now." He said and I felt the cold metal tear through the flesh on my calf and once again the agony filled scream escaped my lips. _

I jolted upwards as I woke up only to find out that that was a mistake. A sudden dizziness overtook me and I flopped back down on the bed. My stomach lurched and I lost what little food I had eaten. I threw that up and then came an awful tasting yellowish fluid. Eventually it became dry heaves and I couldn't breath.

My stomach kept trying force stuff out only to find that there was nothing left. My lungs were screaming for air. Air that my stomach would not allow my throat to open up and take in. I heard a scream, something clattering to the floor, and someone lifted me upwards and began pounding on my back.

Slowly the heaves stopped and so did the person who was pounding on me. I was able to take in air and my lugs greedily demanded more. I was set back down and I felt soft five fingered hands gently massaging my chest, encouraging my lungs to take in more oxygen.

"_Wait a minuet. Five fingers? _Five_ bleeping fingers?!"_

I opened my eyes to see the same carrot topped she demon that I saw last night. As much as I wanted to sit up and pop her one I couldn't. My throat still wasn't opened up all the way so my breaths were short and raspy. I vowed that once I regained the use of my legs I'd kill her.

"Holy! What's going on?" I heard Leo exclaim.

"It's nothing I did. I came in here and he wasn't breathing." Carrot top shouted back.

"Just get off of him." There was a fire in Leo's voice. He didn't trust her. Not one bit.

She got off and was soon replaced by Donny. After she was a distance away Leo began grilling her.

"I don't care if you say your trying to help I don't want you anywhere near my brothers. Do you hear me? Now get out! NOW!!" He shouted as he pushed her from the room and slammed the door.

"Y'know Leo she really is just trying to help." Mike stated.

"Yeah you shouldn't be so hard on her." Don was in on it too.

"Guys as far as I'm concerned she's just another human and we can't trust humans. Plain and simple they're all the same. She could be working for the lab for all we know and trust me I am not going back there. Not alive anyway. I hate humans I hate them." He began choking up and then dropped to his knees with his head in his hands crying softly to himself.

"Leo it's okay." Mikey soothed. He had gone over and was currently hugging Leo and stroking his shell.

"No it's not." Leo mumbled through tears. "We haven't seen our own father in months. We're constantly on the run or else they'll nab us. I….I can't even get you guys enough food to keep you at least _looking_ healthy. I want to go home. I want to see dad again. I want a bed, my bed. I want my blankets and our dojo. I want my home." Suddenly Leo turned into Mikey's shoulder and began crying. Every sob wracking through his body worse than the last.

A lot of us had cried over this but never once Leo. He was always the one comforting us. Never the other way around. He was our rock. The one we would turn to when we needed help. Now this rock had shattered under our weight and we were picking up the pieces and putting them back together.

I tried to sit up but Don wouldn't let me.

"Raph don't." he told me. "You need to rest. But I think I know what caused this. She hit you with two darts right?"

I nodded.

"Well the tranquilizer in those darts was rather strong I guess that's how she got you guys under so quick. If you get too much of the drug it can make you really sick and it has a different effect on us since we're not human. We're gonna have to watch you very closely."

I gave him the look of death.

"But not too closely." He said quickly. Shortly after that his eyes glazed over in what I knew was a horrid memory.

POV: Samantha

I sat there for a while listening to Leo cry. He seemed like the leader the strong one. I can't imagine what it must be like for them. I heard Don mention my trancs to Raph. Perhaps that's why he'd gotten so sick. Those were pretty strong. Don's though seemed specifically engineered for their anatomy so it was strong enough to put them under quickly but not make them sick like mine did.

Leo had woken up and it took his brothers forever to calm him down. I'm treading on thin ice with him. I had decided to make some food for Raph and put it on a tray and leave it by his nightstand for him to eat when he came to. But instead I dropped the food tray and ran over to help him. I had not meant to do that I had not meant to make him sick. Maybe it would be best if I stayed out of their way for a while. Need to tend to the horses anyway.

I walked back up to my room and donned my "Battle Gear" as I have come to call it. Actually it's just some comfy boots, jeans, a tank top that I tucked into my pants, and a good hat. I made my way towards the stalls when I heard my name being called.

I turned around to se Mikey running my way.

"Hey were are ya going?" he asked obviously out of breath. Panting between every word.

"Gotta take care of the herd." I responded and turned back towards the stalls.

"Can I come?"

"What?"

"Can I come? I need something to do around here."

I giggled a little and nodded my head. I was rewarded with a high-pitched squeal of joy.

Watching him around the horses was so much fun. He reminds me of little kid. Almost anything pleases him. I had told him to prepare his horse, I had picked out comet for him because he is so gentle, and I listened to him talk to him as he saddled the chestnut up.

He was actually a pretty good rider kept cracking jokes about cowboys though. He'd come up to me and say something like "I've come to clean up this one horse town" or something like that. In my opinion he has seen way too many western movies.

I got a good look at his carapace once and was surprised to how many scars and scratches it bore. Looks like it has saved his life more than once. But what is most intriguing about it is the cracks. There are four rather strange ones. What's strange about them is that they are perfectly straight and side-by-side. It gives the appearance that he could tuck a piece of shell between each of the two cracks behind the rest of his shell making two wide holes or openings large enough for something else to come out. Then they just fold back over to protect what's inside that is probably more delicate than the rest of him.

Another thing would be the many scars that he bore all over his body. Most of them were surgical wounds. I found myself wondering what had happened to these guys I didn't realize I was staring.

POV: Michelangelo

For the first time in so long I found myself laughing and joking. She just did that to me I don't know how but I'm pretty glad for it. We found out that what happened with Donny was merely an allergic reaction to the gas that was sprayed throughout the warehouse. The small fight that ensued after that wasn't really much of a help either.

Raph had just left to go after Sheba when a yellow gas began filling the room. It hurt to inhale it so Leo told us to hold our breath for as long as possible, keep low, and try not to breath the stuff. Apparently Don got some in his system.

After we had made it out of the warehouse erasers almost immediately surrounded us. Leo as usual took the big brother position and put himself in a protective stance in front of me and Don with a look that said "Touch and die". A fight broke out and I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. I thought they were going to capture us again. Leo was fighting like a crazed demon. Didn't even feel the injuries he had gotten.

They surrounded us and closed in. Leo's knuckles were bleeding for he had split them on a couple of eraser mouths. Note to self don't punch an eraser in the mouth their teeth are kinda sharp. We had long since given up our old way of fighting. Now every chance we got we killed. We killed our enemies now because they were far too strong and we would do anything to keep for going back to the lab.

They all had net guns aimed at us and were about to fire when Silver Centry flew in followed by various members of the team and April. We didn't know how they found us but they did and they gave a chance to escape and escape we did. We ran as fast as we could up to angel haven and decided to pass the time by trying to get Don to fly. That's when Raph came soaring in. To say we were surprised would be a huge understatement.

And the story continues from there. It was only then that I realized Samantha was staring at me or to be more specific my various scars. She noticed me looking at her and abruptly turned away.

"Hey it's alright." I told her.

"No it's not." She responded. "I shouldn't be staring."

"You wanna know what happened don't you?" I was rewarded with a nod.

Well I saw no reason not to trust her. She was just curious so I told her what I knew of the story. I told her everything. Including how when Leo broke down he kept whispering to himself to stop being so self centered. I spilled everything.

At the mention of Leo she seemed upset.

"Hey. Leo's gotten like lately. Don't worry He'll come around. Eventually. You're a great person Sam He'll see that he just needs some time that's all." She nodded then turned towards me.

"So you guys really have wings?"

"Yup I can see if the guys will show theirs to ya when we get back. Wanna bring em in now?"

"Yes. Now let's see how much of a cowboy you really are."

With that we rode off towards the herd to bring them back home where they belonged.


	8. 11 Months

**Hi again. Here is yet another chapter for this story. I really love how this is turning out. R&R hope you enjoy. O and a big thanks goes out to 54 viruses for his constant reviews, D.J Striker for the first one ever, Draxis for his helpful criticism, and Tauni for awesomeness. A Big thanks to 54Viruses for pointing out my mistakes! :)**

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Disclaimer: I don't own the tmnt or Maximum ride.

Fly Away chapter 8: 11 months.

Month 1

POV: Raphael

Leo felt so bad for losing control like that. For the rest of the day he referred to himself as a self centered jerk. After Leo had stopped crying he locked himself in one of the bathrooms and refused to come out. Mikey knowing that this was a battle that we would lose saw Sam heading out towards the barn and jumped out the window after her exclaiming that he was bored and needed something to do.

Donny couldn't talk without it hurting for three full days and I couldn't talk for a week. We got Leo to stop sulking so there's a victory. We had to pick the lock on the bathroom door to get him out though and then we literally had to shove a few bites of food down his throat before he would eat on his own.

While this was happening Mikey was out with Samantha and it turns out he had a little breakdown of his own and told her everything. The first thing she wanted to know was if we could fly yet. The answer was kinda yes and kinda no because we're still trying to get Don to fly and I haven't flown since my little rendezvous with Splinter and Casey. So she devoted her time to flinging us individually off her roof and shouting out instructions as we fall. She is a lot stronger than she looks. She had padding down there of course so we didn't get hurt any. It was during this time that I noticed her tattoo. It was unique. Like none I had ever seen before and I think it was all one because I could just barely see a ship's burning sail peeking over her collar. But I admit that that's not what I was looking at. Then she threw me off the roof.

We were all warming up to her but I for one still didn't trust her. I get this strange feeling around her but it's not really a "danger" feeling but I'm not too sure that I like it. I just wanna turn and run whenever she enters the room. I can talk now but I don't not even to my bro's. I just feel so terrible for everything. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm really lost and this girl seems a little too helpful. Something just isn't kosher here. I can feel it.

Our first month here is almost over and at least everyone has gotten off the ground. I have taken a few complicated fights and am working on taking off from the ground. Mikey and Leo haven't flown, just glided so are still exercising their wings. We all have jobs around the ranch and Leo seems to love the horses about as much as I do. Couple of days ago I saw a beautiful mustang out in the forest. Female from the looks of it. I go out a lot to see if I can catch glimpses of her.

Leo seems to have fallen in love with a pregnant mare by the name of comet. He keeps such a close eye one her it's scary.

It's dinner and we're all seated around the table eating loads of hamburgers when the phone rings.

"I'll get it." Sam says. "It's probably for me anyway." She states with a wink and skips over to the phone.

She answers it and the entire cheery atmosphere of the night changes when she hangs up and returns to table in a slight state of shock.

"You okay Sam?" Don asks noticing her condition.

Her lip starts trembling as she responds.

"My uncle is dead." She stated in a voice that could barely be heard. "He's dead."

"Who was your uncle?" Leo asks.

"Well I guess he wasn't really my uncle. He was more of my father." I had expected her to cry but she hadn't shed a single tear.

"What do you mean?" Mikey asked I remained silent as always.

"I used to live in Chicago before I came here with my uncle. My mother had passed away giving birth to my twin sister but she didn't make it either. My father made sure that I would make it and I wasn't even aware of what he was getting himself into. He got into trouble with a gang that he owed money to and one night my uncle came and took me away to this town at my father's request. Later that same night the gang came and killed my father because of the debt he owed and to tie up loose ends. If I had been there they would have killed me too. He raised me and now he's gone."

The rest of that night was spent mourning her uncle. Leo made a shrine for her as a monument to her deceased uncle, I remained silent, and still she never shed a tear.

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Month 2

POV: Michelangelo

Her uncle's death weighed pretty heavy on her and for days she neither slept nor ate. I was beginning to get worried and had just about had it when she came out and joined me for lunch. I got right to work cheering her up and for weeks we did all the work around the ranch and we just let her have fun. One of the things she seemed to enjoy doing was going down to the stream and looking into the glassy water.

One of my greatest concerns though is Raph. The way he looks at her. He doesn't trust her. He hasn't spoken to anyone since that night we met Sam. I fear he's going to try something.

We finally got those lions that have been lurking about. Turns out one of them was a mom and we sent the cubs off with animal control.

Not much going on this month just Raph being silent and Leo with comet. It's been pretty good and you know what? I don't ever wanna leave.

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Month 3

POV: Donnatello

I feel so terribly sorry for Sam. It had to happen sometime. I'm just glad we were here to support her when it did happen.

Mikey has been doing an excellent job of cheering her up and already she's back to her normal self. Or close to it.

I've tried to talk to Raph but he just looks at me and walks away. I get the feeling that he's really struggling. Has a lot of weight on his shoulders and is lost. I just wish he'd let one of us help him find his way. Sheba and klunk have been having a blast out here. They have so much room to run around. Though Sheba never strays far from Raph. She's gotten huge! Like Great Dane huge. And she still hasn't stopped growing. I've been getting the feeling that she isn't just a dog, that she'd mixed with something else but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Klunk seems to have gotten a heck of a lot smarter off late. Also he hasn't really made much noise, which is strange for Klunk. I'll have to look him over it's probably something they did to him in the lab.

The weeks have gone by and April is beginning to come to a close. It's still pretty cold out so were all huddled around the fire. Except for Raph and Leo. Raph just doesn't wanna get anywhere near Sam and Leo took the pregnant mare, comet, out for a short walk.

I look outside and notice that it's started snowing. In fact it's a blizzard and Leo still isn't back yet.

"Guy's where was Leo going?" I ask.

"He never said why?" Came Sam's reply.

"Y'know that blizzard we've been expecting. It's here." Everyone turned around and for the longest time we all just stared out the window trying to see through the falling snow.

Finally Raph got up, gave me a gun, pointed toward the clock, held up five fingers, and walked into the storm.

I understood perfectly what he had told me. He had said that if he wasn't back in five minuets then I was to go out onto the porch and fire the gun off so he could find his way back.

We stared out the window and five minuets passed so I opened the door, cleared the porch roof, and began firing. Six clear shots rang out when I ran out of bullets and not knowing what to do I ran into the kitchen, got a pot, and began banging on it with Sam and Mikey by my side firing off guns.

For what seemed like an eternity there was nothing. Then two forms emerged from the storm and walked into the house.

The first in was Raph and right behind him was a very sick looking Leo. He was in bad shape but it's what he had on his shoulders that caught our attention. Draped across his shoulders was a small foal. Completely white except for small speckles of black all over him. Leo put him on the couch and collapsed to the floor. Raph ran and I soon heard water running in the bathroom.

I pick Leo up and help him up the stairs. He feels like ice. I set him down on the bathroom floor, place a thermometer in his mouth and began removing his clothing. A deed that he expressed how much he didn't like by pulling away or pushing me away. He kept trying to squiggle away from me so Raph came over and held him in place.

We picked him up and placed him in the full bathtub. The water was actually very cold but to him it was boiling. When we placed him in he cried out and tried to crawl back out but I was able to hold him there until he got the message that he wasn't going to come out for a while.

I shooed Raph out and closed the door. I looked at Leo and could see that he was covered in mud and dried, crusted blood. Where was comet? Where was his horse? Comet was actually a gift for Leo's birthday. We had all made up birthdays a long time ago. Sam had seen how much he loved Comet and gave her to him. He was so thrilled. But where was she? Leo had opened his eyes and was staring at the ceiling when I realized that I was going to have to wash him off. So I pulled the plug in the tub and climbed in with him. Once the water was down enough I adjusted the curtains and the showerhead and turned the water on. I turned the heat up a little this time and would keep doing that until I decided that he was warmed up enough.

When the water hit him he whimpered and curled himself up in a corner. I reached out grabbed his shoulder, stretched out his legs, placed myself behind him and pushed him into the falling water.

He whimpered again and again tried to worm away from the hot water.

"Ssshhhhhhh. Leo calm down. You need to warm up okay. Stop fighting me your not gonna win. I know it's hot but just relax." He did and I soon set to work on washing him up.

"Where's Comet?" I asked as I scrubbed his needle-scarred forearm.

"She's gone." He whispered weakly. "She died."

"Oh Leo I'm so sorry."

"I was out walking her when the storm hit so I turned around but she wouldn't move. She suddenly lay down and wouldn't get back up. I realized what was happening and stayed with her. It got so cold. I got really scared. I helped her give birth but when she didn't get up…."

Leo started crying. Softly but he was still crying.

"I've never seen a foal stand up so fast." He rasped through his tears.

I finished scrubbing him down, let him sit for a while, dried him off and put him to bed. Turns out everyone else had taken care of the foal. Bathed him and fed him. He was wobbling around the living room calling out for a mom that no longer there. Then I remembered Leo. Leo was the first person the foal had seen. He was calling out for Leo.

I led the newborn foal up the stairs and into where I had put Leo. The baby immediately hopped up onto the bed and fell asleep next to my ill brother.

I told everyone what Leo had said and the next day we found Comet's body frozen on the ground. We buried her and spent a long time caring for Leo who had come down with a severe case of pneumonia. His sickness lasted the rest of the month and when he was better had decided to name the foal Blizzard.

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Month 4

POV: Samantha

Leo and Blizzard are like two peas in a pod. He'll only let Leo feed him. Kind of reminds me of my uncle. A lot of time has passed not much going on that needs my attention. Raph has kept up his silent vigil for three months now. I get so nervous when I'm around him. I'm not sure what is that I'm feeling but I don't really like it.

What kind of a niece am I anyway? My adopted father dies and I don't even shed one tear over him. I think I'll head out to the stream. He used to take me there all the time when I was little. I was only 17 but he seemed to think I could handle the ranch on my own so when I returned from the marines two years later he left and turned the ranch over to me and I've been here for a full year.

I walk through the forest, which is now turning green, toward my little stream. I sit down next to the clear water and stare into it. Then suddenly I just start crying. Crying for my uncle. My father.

"You okay?" The voice is deep and heavily accented. I turned around and there was Raph kneeling beside me. A concerned look on his face.

"You wait three months to talk?" I ask through tears.

He looks at me with gentle eyes and pulls me into a hug.

"You wait three months to cry?"

I sat there holding onto him. Loving it for some reason. Loving his strength and knowing that I finally have what I have always wanted. A knight in shining armor. Someone to save me when I need it. I won't have to save myself anymore.

I pull away and look up at him finally recognizing what it is that I have felt over the past few months. Love.

"Fell better?" He asks in that same gentle tone.

I look into his eyes and without my knowing, without any of us knowing, our faces slowly inched closer together until our lips had touched and we had been pulled into a passionate kiss that each of us embraced.

We finally pulled away for our lungs were burning for air that the heavenly kiss denied. But I didn't want it to end. I would have suffocated just to hold onto that kiss.

"I do now." I said smiling.

We stood and headed back towards the ranch. He reached over and gingerly touched my hand and I grasped his. Together we walked away from the stream, out of the woods, and into the barn where the rest of the guys were.

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Month 5

POV: Leonardo

I have to admit I was very surprised when I saw Raph and Sam walk in that day. They were holding hands and Raph was finally talking. I never ever thought any of us would find love but Raph did and he is very happy. I love watching them. I have never seen Raph so happy in my entire life. He's different around her. He really does love her.

Blizzard has really grown. I'm working on training him now. He is so stubborn. Raph has been going off on his own with oats and apples. I wonder what he's doing out there.

It's been really fun here. In fact it's been heaven. I agree with Mike I don't ever wanna leave, but I fear that we'll have to.

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Month 6

POV: Raphael

I finally figured out what I have been feeling around Sam. It's not suspicion it's something I thought I'd never ever feel. It's love. I love her and she loves me. I never thought I'd say something like that.

I'm finally gonna show her Kushala. Kushala is a mustang that I found a while back. I've slowly earned up her trust and have been training her and I think that she's ready to meet someone else.

Kushala is a beautiful horse. I have not seen any like her ever. Most of her body is a yellow color except for some black coloring on her mane, tail, socks by her hooves, the rims of her ears, and a small stripe going from the end of her mane to tip of her tail. She has one white sock and her muzzle is a dark brown.

I gather apples and oats from the barn then go and get everyone else.

"Hey guy come here I got something to show you." I led them through the forest to the spot where I always meet Kushala.

"Okay you need to be very quiet now and don't come out until I say so." I said as I crept out of the brush and took out Kushala's reins.

I put them on grasped them tight and motioned for everyone else to come out. They did so slowly and when Kushala began backing away I patted her neck to assure her that she was safe.

I gave everyone some apples and oats to feed her with and she soon warmed up to them. We took her back to ranch where we found a nice stall for her. I spent most of the day showing her around the farmhouse.

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Month 7

POV: Michelangelo

Samantha tells me that the fair is coming up soon and she'll be selling horses. She even asked us if we wanted to go when we were out swimming. We were sitting on the dock when she asked.

"But we can't." I answered.

"I think you can. It's a small town and I know everyone. The policy is if your friends of mine your friends of theirs."

We stare at her in silence.

"Oh Cmon it'll be fun it'll be fun it'll be fun." She said bouncing up and down on Raph's lap.

"Do ya think they'd let us compete?" Raph asked.

"Raph!" Leo shouted.

"What?"

"Yep." Sam answered.

"Oh that's it I'm in."

"I'm going too." I stated.

Leo sent Don a look.

"Well it would be fun and we could still wear disguises." He said shyly

"Great it's a revolution. Someone drown me please." He said with a grin while leaning back with his hands and face turned towards the sky.

I looked at Raph and he shrugged. Together we grabbed Leo's ankles and dumped him into the lake. He came up sputtering and Raph pushed his head back under causing us all to go into a fit of laughter.

That's one example of how Raph has changed. We have so much fun with him now. One thing that happened that was really funny was we were all out in the yard and, I don't know the how or why, Raph was cutting Sam's hair. He's actually pretty good. He was basically done when we started paying attention to their conversation.

I still didn't pick up that much I caught the very end. They had been taking about something her friend had done that had surprised her and Raph was giving advice. All I caught was Raph saying 'Well sometimes you don't know people as well as you think you do.' He said as he cleaned off the scissors in a bucket of water. 'Sometimes people just surprise you.' He then took the entire bucket of water and dumped it on her head throwing up his arms afterwards and yelling 'Surprise!' He then dashed off with her on his tail laughing like hyenas.

I like Raph's change. I hope it never goes away.

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Month 8

POV: Donnatello

The fair has come and gone. We never actually went. We still weren't used to seeing so many people. We wigged out and wouldn't get out of the car. Well everyone except Raph. We still don't exactly feel comfortable around humans.

Raph's horse Kushala is amazing. She's so strong and she can run faster and jump higher that any of the stallions. Well scratch that Blizzard could probably give her a run for her money when it comes to jumping and when he gets older. He has such strong legs, marked by how fast he stood up. Kushala seems to understand what Raph tells her and she obeys though she won't let anyone else ride her.

Everything around here has been great. We even got Leo to be a little more lighthearted. He has been so grumpy and gloomy lately. I'm pretty glad that she found us that night.

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Month 9

POV: April

It's been nine months since we found the guys in Miami. I don't know what was going on with them but it appears that Raph has grown wings.

Splinter and Casey said that they had trapped him on the edge of the city when he just jumped off the edge of the roof. They ran over to try and catch him but he was already too far down. Then just out of nowhere these big black wings popped out and he flew away. Casey said it looked like the first time he had done that.

We've tried tracking the guys but the only lead we've found was in Arizona. I don't know where they would have turned from there.

"Hey I think I know which direction they went." Casey states.

"You do?" I asked surprised.

"Well the guys are used to a city right?"

I nod.

"And a city has a lot of tall buildings."

I nod again.

"Well the closest thing to buildings anywhere around here has to offer is trees and hills and where's the one place around here that has got plenty of those? Places where they can easily hide? The Rocky Mountains."

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course they would go there. It had cover and tall trees and it got really dark so they could easily hide.

We announced Casey's little revelation to everyone and we decided that there was too much ground to cover for all of us to stay together so we split up. It turned out uneven so Casey went alone. We all took beepers and the only reason we would use them was if we had found the guys or was in danger…life threatening danger.

So once again we were off. Off to find the guys.

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Month 10

POV: Splinter

I don't know how close we are but I hope I see my sons soon. It puzzles me why Raphael ran from me and what puzzles me more is his wings and willingness to fling himself off that roof even when he had so obviously not known how to use them.

I fear for them. I fear for their health. I fear for their safety. I fear for my sons. Just six months ago I sensed that Leonardo was in danger. As from what he was in danger from eludes me for he was blocking me. All I know was that he was in grave danger.

We have a lead on where they might have gone thanks to Casey. We were not able to cover enough ground together as a group so we split up. Casey wound up alone and I am with April.

I grow weary and scared. We have searched for little over a month and have found nothing.

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Month 11

POV: Casey

I think I've found something but I can't be sure. I've made my way up to Wyoming and have just now found an old rust eaten van that shouldn't have made it this far.

I take a peek inside and see that it's hotwired. The van smells awful. Like puke from a mule that's been ruminating on asparagus for two months. The flies seem to love the smell and flock to like deer after a moviegoer's popcorn. I look under the hood to see why it had made it this far. The reason being because several small adjustments were made to its engine so it would A. run on less fuel per gallon. B. Not overheat. And C. hold together.

Only one person I know could do this with such small adjustments. Donnatello. But if they ditched it then they could be miles away by now. Not but a few yards ahead is a dirt road. Curiosity gets the better of me and I follow it to see where it might lead.

It turns out this old road leads to a ranch but I don't wanna trespass in such a way that

I risk being seen so I sneak back around and enter the forest so that maybe I can figure out if the guys dropped by here by eavesdropping a bit. It's quite obvious that someone lives here. Several someones. Anything weird in a conversation would tip me off. Like if a guy had thought he had seen someone around the barn but the guy disappeared. Something like that.

I hear the sound of a conversation and make my way towards it. From the sound of it there are about three to five men and one woman. I make my way through the brush and up the hill. I am still surrounded by bushes so no one can see me unless they have really good eyes but I almost give myself away with the gasp that I let out when I saw the scene at the bottom of the hill.

Down below me were the guys. All of them. Raph, Leo, Don, and Mikey. There was also a red-haired woman that I didn't recognize. They were all riding horses and looked to be playing capture the flag. At the moment Leo had the flag tied around his saddlebag and his white horse was dodging the others swipes easily.

Donnatello was riding a white and red painted mare with a small feather in her mane. Mikey had a chestnut stallion, the girl, whom I now noticed had some rather large tattoos, was atop a pure black stallion, and Raph's horse was incredible. It was mostly blonde except for its legs, mane, tail, and a stripe down its back, which were all black. It had one white sock and its muzzle was brown. It was hard to tell the gender. Its muscular form said stallion but its thin muzzle said mare. The way it ran and jumped screamed stallion but its eyes said mare.

Off to the side were Klunk and this huge bear! But they were playing and the bear had a long tail and pointed ears. What was it?

My attention was brought back to the guys as Don tackled Leo off his stallion and Mikey soon joined them on the ground. Raph and the girl stood their horses side by side and were watching the show in hysterics.

What happened next almost made me fall down the hill. Raph suddenly leaned over and kissed the red head. _KISSED HER!_Raph had just kissed this girl.

The others had now stopped their little play fight and I guessed were making 'Awwww' sounds. Raph made a motion with his hand that I guessed was flipping them off. I reached down and pressed the small button on my beeper.

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**And yet another cliffie! It wasn't as bad as chapter 4 though. Chapter 4 was BAD! I really REALLY hope you enjoyed. Bye bye gotta go now and continue story.**


	9. Old Freinds and Enimies

**I am finally updating on Fly Away!!! I hope you're all very happy. I know I am. This took a lot of thought so please don't rag on me about how long it took for me to put this up. Thanks.**

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Disclaimer: Do not own.

Fly Away chapter 9: Old friends and enemies.

Leo's POV:

We were all having a great time. We were in a dog pile trying to get the flag from Mikey when Raph decided to go PDA on us. Of course we couldn't leave him alone about that and he flipped us off for it. I'll have to talk with him about that.

It's been so great! Don and Raph have actually gotten to fly! I mean _fly_ fly! I can't wait till my wings grown in fully. Well they have I just haven't tried flying yet. Don and Raph can do takeoffs from the ground! They don't have to jump off anything!! Sheba has gotten so big it's ridiculous.

We found wing buds on her and klunk the other day so I guess she isn't really a normal dog after all. To think that I thought my life was weird before.

Suddenly I stop. I hear something. I yell at everyone to shut the hell up and sure enough I hear beeping and the small hum of a helicopter engine. I strain my ears and find out that the beeping is more like that of a signal. I hear rustling and suddenly realize we're not alone. But this time we're more prepared for those wolf bastards.

I continue wrestling with my bros but give them all a look. They all knew that look. It meant we're in danger. They all turned serious. Even Sam. She knew our situation. We had told her everything. More like she made us. Actually more like Mikey couldn't keep his mouth shut. But we earned a valued friend out of it and Raph got a little something more.

We stopped wrestling to rest and I waved my eyes over toward the ridge where I'd heard the rustling in the first place. He gets it and rides off into the trees telling us he's gonna go get a coke.

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Casey's POV:

That might not be a good sign. Raph just ran off but then again the rest of them seem okay. Then Raph horse rides back into the field.

"_Oh shit!"_ I immediately realize that they probably know I'm here.

I get up to run when suddenly Raph appears in front of me. His huge black wings causing huge gusts of wind. He looks at me and by the look on his face I'm obviously not what he expected.

He swoops back with ridiculous agility and gets everybody else up and they ride back to the ranch where they probably live. Raph turns around every now and then to do a double take.

I follow them as quickly and as carefully as I can and sure enough they lead me back to the ranch. Raph stops and gently sets himself down on the ground. Everyone looks back to see that he's stopped and he gives them a glare and signals for the m to get back in the house. Everyone does except for the tattooed woman. He gives her a look and she just shakes her head. He sighs and turns towards me crossing his arms over his chest. I must say he looks a lot better now than he did in Miami.

"What are ya doin here Casey?" He says to me.

"Whattya think?"

"Get out of here now."

"Raph you guys up and disappeared on us earlier and now that I've finally found you you want me to leave?"

"Yes."

"No."

"You don't know what you're doing Case. Be smart and go home. Go back to soft bed. Go back to your city. Go back to your life. You can't handle this. Go home."

"Who are you to say what I can and can't do?"

Suddenly Raph's eyes grow to the half the size of New Jersey. He opens his huge black wings and places his feet, focusing on something behind me. Then I feel it. Wind. Huge sudden gusts of it. Like the ones Raph's wings made.

I see the look on Raph's face told me I needed to move. _Now_! I dove out of the way just as this thing tackled him. They tumbled for a couple of feet and Raph kicked it off of him. When it got up it began to circle Raph.

I had never seen anything like it. It looked like a wolf. But it stood on two legs. Had a huge muzzle with long yellow teeth protruding from it. It had huge paws instead of feet and a mix between paws and hands. But all the same it had huge claws and Raph was currently in a death match with the thing.

"RUN!!" He shouts towards me. Then he turns toward the girl.

"You too! Go now!"

She hesitates but turns her horse towards the house and rides off.

"Damn it Case NOW!!" He was wrestling the thing off of him and was holding its jaws open just above his face. I could see the blood oozing from his hand and between the monster's teeth.

I felt awful but I knew that when Raph got like that when he was fighting you had better run. So I did the only sensible thing. I ran. I ran and hoped with all my heart that the others would be here soon.

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Raph's POV:

I can't believe this. Not only did Casey and the others find us but these freaks did too! How am I supposed to protect Sam? I can't leave her here and I can't take her with us.

I'm losing terribly to one eraser. One freaking eraser!!! How lame is that?

"_What am I doing? Come on Raph think 3D. You don't have to stay on the ground."_

"Hey come and get me you stupid mutt!" I shout as I spread my massive wings and bring them down hard, launching me into the air.

Of course he takes the bait and follows. These guys are such idiots. I look at the farmhouse and see everyone huddled by the window with Don about to jump out. I flash him a smile and shake my head.

I fold my wings in and launch myself headfirst at this goon. He's not too far from the ground so the fall doesn't kill him. But I felt his back snap in half and heard as he howled in pain. I almost felt sorry for him, but then I remembered all the pain his kind has caused me. I grab his snout and twist his head sharply to the side secretly enjoying the crunch it made.

I dragged his carcass into the bushes and left it there. The lions could eat him for all I care. Let him rot.

I make my way back to the window and the first thing everyone says is:

"Are you okay?" All at the same time.

I curl open my hands to reveal deep fang marks. Sam freaks and Don runs for the first aid. I sit and let Don bandage my hand. It'll be healed tomorrow but hey we can be careful can't we?

I got a lot of questions and comments on how I acted when fighting the eraser. Mikey and Don asked me why I didn't really seem scared when fighting it and Leo complimented me on how I kept a cool head out there.

We all kept watch and Leo started packing. Sam kept giving him food to pack. Even Sheba and Klunk seemed to understand the danger we were all in. Klunk mewled whenever he saw something move outside and Sheba barked. I get the feeling those two are smarter than they look.

Soon night has fallen and everyone has gotten into their own bed. Well Sam has. We still dog pile together. Just feels safer I guess.

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Sam's POV:

I knew this day would come but still. I don't want them to leave. I don't want Raph to leave. I've always dreamed of falling in love. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I'd love a five foot two turtle.

I fear for them. They told me everything that happened. Just…it scared me. What I saw today. What if the lab gets them again?

I'm broken out of my thoughts by a quiet sigh outside my window. I walk over and open it up to see Raph. He glances at me, I throw him a small smile and join him.

"Raphael, what are you doing?"

"…."

"Hmmm?" I prod as I run my finger softly down his arm.

"Sitting by the window." He answers gloomily.

"There are other windows."

"My brothers asked me earlier why I wasn't afraid."

"Uh huh."

"I was. But not when I was fighting. Before. Because you were there."

He turned to look at me. He reached up and began to gently stroke my cheek. I slowly drew myself into him. Resting my head on his shoulder.

"The only time I felt fear today as others do was when I thought of you in danger. That's why I'm by this window Samantha Walker."

That was so sweet. This is why I love him so much. He makes me so happy.

"Do you like to dance?" I ask him effectively ruining the cute moment.

"Yeah kinda. I don't really know how though."

"When we are married will you dance with me?"

I swear he stopped breathing for an hour. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

"Why do you insist on doing that?"

"What?" I ask, pulling away.

"Why do you lead when I want to lead? If I want to follow then I will follow. If I want to speak then I will open up my mouth and speak." He whispers in a strained voice.

He pulls me into a tight hug and I can feel a large grin form on his face.

"And yes. When we are married I will dance with you. No matter how terrible I am."

I squeezed him so tight I thought his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. But he just kept smiling. I pushed away from him, our hands still linked, and broke into insane giggles that turned into full-blown laughter. He joined in and soon we were laughing like maniacs on my roof.

We lean in and kiss. But this kiss was so much more than the others. This kiss was a promise. A promise that he would return. Return to marry me.

As we carried on with this kiss. I noticed something. Just out of the corner of my eye I saw three pairs of bright eyes watching us. Six eyes, three green faces, and three huge grins.

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**Ha! Yes I finally finished it. What do you think? You have to tell me! Was it cute? Was it touching? Was it good? PLEASE TELL ME!! I'm listening to 'life is a highway'. It's pretty late so I've must go to bed. Tomorrow's my first day on the job. Literally. It's my first job EVER! Wish me luck. Bye!!**


	10. NOTICE!

Hey guys. Oh my god I am sooooooo sorry for not updating in FOREVER! To be honest I am not sure when I will update again. I have everything planned out and I DO write but when I try everything comes out as crap and I certainly don't want to put anything bad up here. Not that the writing is all that good to begin with but hey it's fanfiction! I AM trying and I am so sorry. Most of my writing now is in articles and nonfiction and the book series that I NEED to get finished. For those of you who are reading The Legend of the Sister Cities, I am taking that one down. I'm sorry but I just got my monster from The Shadows Live snatched and put on a TV. show so I'm paranoid and I plan on making that into a book that connects with the afore mentioned book series.

Once again I am so sorry! I will be adding things to some stories like: The Outsider, and probably rewriting some others.

I'm going to keep trying. I'm not giving up on you guys! I swear it! This is not the end! (Dramatic sword raise or something...)


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